Jerusalem: Emotions ran high across Israel as families welcomed home hostages who had been held in Gaza for nearly two years. The long-awaited releases came under a ceasefire agreement brokered with crucial involvement from U.S. President Donald Trump, whose visit to Israel was marked by both celebration and cautious relief.

The deal, reached after weeks of delicate negotiations, has brought a temporary halt to the fighting that devastated much of Gaza and left tens of thousands dead. Under the agreement, Hamas is releasing 20 Israeli hostages believed to be alive, along with the remains of 28 others who died in captivity. In exchange, Israel has agreed to free more than 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including many detained since the war erupted in October 2023.

Israel’s parliament, the

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