CaliToday (13/10/2025): A critical and long-awaited exchange of hostages and prisoners between Hamas and Israel is set to unfold today, marking a pivotal moment in a conflict that has ravaged the region. As the first phase of a delicate peace plan gets underway, U.S. President Donald Trump has landed in Israel, declaring the war "over" and preparing to oversee the fragile next steps toward stability.
People gather at "Hostages' Square" in Tel Aviv, to celebrate the agreement signed between Israel and Hamas for a hostage–prisoner exchange deal based on a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, on October 11, 2025 (Jack GUEZ)
In a move watched closely by the entire world, all surviving hostages held by Hamas are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross on Monday morning. This action will trigger the reciprocal release of approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli detention, a cornerstone of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that halted major hostilities last week.
President Trump, whose administration was instrumental in mediating the 20-point peace plan, embarked on a whirlwind tour of Israel and Egypt to cement the deal. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he projected absolute confidence in the durability of the truce.
"I think it's going to hold. I think people are tired of it. It's been going on for centuries," Trump said of the fighting, before making a bold declaration. "The war is over. Okay? You get it?"
His visit is a high-stakes diplomatic mission and a victory lap rolled into one. In Israel, Trump is scheduled for an emotional meeting with the families of hostages seized during the deadly cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which ignited the two-year war. He will later address the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem.
Final Details in a Tense Negotiation
While hope is high, the final hours leading up to the exchange have been fraught with tension. Negotiators were still finalizing arrangements late Sunday, with two Hamas sources telling AFP that the group is insisting on the inclusion of seven high-level Palestinian leaders among those to be freed. Israel has previously rejected at least one of the names on that list, highlighting the delicate balance of the agreement.
Despite the last-minute haggling, Hamas sources confirmed they were "finalizing all preparations" to hand over all 20 remaining living hostages. Israel will then begin releasing its prisoners, which include 250 security prisoners many convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis and around 1,700 Palestinians detained by the Israeli military in Gaza during the war.
The deal also stipulates the eventual return of all 47 remaining hostages (both living and deceased) and the remains of an Israeli soldier killed in a previous Gaza war in 2014.
A Summit for Peace
Following his visit to Israel, President Trump will fly to Egypt to co-host a major peace summit with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. More than 20 world leaders are expected to attend to endorse the U.S. plan and discuss the future of the region.
However, significant hurdles remain. The plan's next phases face major questions, including Hamas's refusal to disarm and Israel's lack of commitment to a full withdrawal from the devastated Gaza Strip. Trump insists he has "assurances" from both sides. "I don't think they want to let me down," he said.
The conflict, sparked by the 2023 attack that killed 1,219 people in Israel, has led to a devastating Israeli campaign in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run territory's Health Ministry, whose figures the UN deems credible, at least 67,806 people have been killed, more than half of whom were women and children.
