US President Donald Trump is heading to Israel ahead of the expected release of 20 living hostages early Monday morning.
Those hostages are expected to be released in three batches – two from separate locations at 8 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET) and a third at another location one hour later.
Trump is expected to arrive in Israel Monday morning local time. While there, he will meet hostage families and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He will also address the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, before heading to Egypt, where he will join leaders from more than 20 countries for a summit on Gaza.
Here are some other headlines you should know:
Hostages Square: Preparations are underway in Tel Aviv as anticipation builds ahead of the expected releases. Live coverage of the releases will be shown in the square, starting at 4 a.m. local time (9 p.m. ET). Earlier, Jewish American rapper Kosha Dillz entertained the crowds.
Palestinian prisoners: Once the hostages have crossed back into Israel, the hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees set to be released will be driven into Gaza, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office
Trump confident: Speaking aboard Air Force One, the US president expressed confidence the ceasefire would hold, going as far as telling reporters “the war is over.”
Aid trucks lined up: Meanwhile, Egypt’s state-affiliated al-Qahera News says dozens of humanitarian aid trucks are lined up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah Border Crossing, awaiting the signal to enter the Gaza Strip.
“Real progress” in aid: The UN says that along with its partners, it has “distributed hundreds of thousands of hot meals and bread bundles” in the north and south of Gaza in what it hopes is “just the beginning” of progress in humanitarian progress in the Strip.
‘New era’ for Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday’s expected release would mark the beginning of a “new era” for the country, “a path of healing, a path of rebuilding.”
