World | Middle East

The long-awaited day that saw the return of surviving Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners gave an early indication of the tough challenges awaiting Donald Trump’s Gaza plan. On a whirlwind trip to Israel, the U.S. president said the time for peace is now.

Israelis celebrated the return of the last surviving hostages from Gaza – a defining exchange in the fragile ceasefire that has paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel as part of the ceasefire deal as well.

As Israel and Hamas finalize the first phase of the Gaza peace plan, many in the region are focused on what can go wrong. Even so, joy is enveloping many Israelis and Palestinians eager for emotional and physical relief.

Agreement by the two warring parties in Gaza after months of tense negotiations and near-deals brought widespread relief, raising hopes that a war that was sparked by Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack will finally be brought to a close.

In Gaza, which experienced tremendous loss from the war, and in the West Bank, facing settler violence and military restrictions, distrust of Israel and the U.S. runs deep. Many Palestinians say the Trump plan will not bring peace.

Two years after the massacre that ignited the war in Gaza, Monitor correspondent Dina Kraft reflects on how Oct. 7 has exhausted Israelis and changed the country, which is experiencing anger, doubts, and concern over internal dissent.

Isolated abroad and under constant pressure at home, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had no other option but to comply when his chief patron, U.S. President Donald Trump, hailed Hamas’ response to his 20-point peace plan for Gaza.

Bombing in Gaza City has “significantly subsided,” a hospital official says. Israel’s army says it’s preparing for the first phase of a U.S. peace plan backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Talks are underway for the release of hostages.

Replying to President Donald Trump’s ultimatum to accept his plan for ending the war, Hamas said it was willing to release the hostages and hand power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects require consultations. Hamas did not say it would disarm, an Israeli demand.

Like other recent plans for the “day after” war ends in Gaza, the Trump ceasefire plan was formulated without direct input from Gazans. As they react with both optimism and skepticism, a major concern is that they don’t give up on self-determination.