Convoy carrying Israeli hostages inside coffins returns from Gaza in heartbreaking homecoming

The convoy carrying four Israelis in coffins crossed the border and returned to their hometown from Gaza.

On Monday night, an IDF escort of armored vehicles flying the Star of David was seen taking the bodies to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv.

The somber reversal comes after Hamas released 20 living hostages on Monday as the first phase of Donald Trump’s historic peace deal came into effect.

Before the release of the living hostages, it was reported that Hamas was holding the remains of 28 captives who lost their lives since October 7, 2023.

Trump earlier met with the hostages’ families at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, where he hailed the historic ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas to end the war that has killed more than 70,000 people.

The US president then flew to Egypt, where he was joined by heads of state from around the world to sign a ceasefire agreement brokered by his envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

‘It took 3000 years to get to this point. Can you believe this? And it will endure. “This will endure,” Trump said as he signed the document. The exact content of the document is unclear.

Next to Trump were Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as well as leaders of the Gulf countries in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Leaders from Hamas and Israel did not attend the signing in Egypt. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited to the meeting by Trump, but he refused, citing the Jewish holiday as the reason for his absence.

The president declared the signing a turning point for peace in the region.

“This is the day that people in this region and around the world have worked, strived, hoped and prayed for,” Trump added.

‘Last month they did things that I thought were truly unthinkable. Nobody thought this could happen. ‘With the historic agreement we have just signed, the prayers of millions have finally been answered.’

The document was also signed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Trump stated that the document lays the foundation for the future of the Gaza region.

In his speech to the Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, Trump shared his hope that the signing would officially end the decades-long conflict between Israel and Gaza.

“You won,” Trump told Israeli politicians. ‘Now is the time to turn these battlefield victories against terrorists into the ultimate reward of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.’

Trump signs Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement marking the official end of a bloody two-year war

Trump promises second phase of peace deal in Gaza will begin soon

Trump pledged to help rebuild Gaza and called on Palestinians to ‘turn away from the path of terror and violence once and for all’.

‘After tremendous suffering, death and hardship,’ he said, ‘now is the time to focus on rebuilding Israel’s people rather than trying to destroy them.’

Trump even made a gesture to Iran, where he bombed three nuclear facilities during the short war with Israel earlier this year, saying “friendship and cooperation are always open.”

Trump arrived in Egypt hours late because his speeches in the Knesset took longer than expected.

After needling Israeli leaders for talking so much, Trump joked, “They might not be there when I get there, but we’ll try anyway.”

Trump met with the families of some hostages in the Knesset.

The US President’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner posed at the Gaza summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.

A woman said to him, ‘Your name will be remembered throughout all generations.’

Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him a standing ovation. Some people in the audience wore red hats that resembled his ‘Make America Great Again’ hats, but these versions said ‘Peace President Trump.’

Netanyahu hailed Trump as ‘the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House’ and promised to work with him in the future.

‘Mr. Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. “I am determined for this peace,” he said. ‘And together, Mr. President, we will make this peace.’

Trump took an unexpected detour during his speech, calling on the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu, whom he described as “one of the greatest leaders” of wartime. Although Netanyahu faces corruption charges, many hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.

The Republican president also used the opportunity for political reckoning, thanking his supporters, criticizing his Democratic predecessors and praising Miriam Adelson, a top donor in the audience.

It remains fragile at the moment, as Israel and Hamas are still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the last hostages held by Hamas; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; increased humanitarian aid to Gaza; and the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza’s main cities.

Trump said it was a window to reshape the region and reset long-tense relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

‘The war is over, okay?’ Trump told reporters he was traveling with him on Air Force One.

‘I think people are tired of this,’ he said, and therefore emphasized that he believes the ceasefire will continue.

Rescued hostage Noa Argamani (pictured left) was seen tonight reuniting with her lover Avinatan Or (pictured right).

Emotional photos show the couple nicknamed ‘Romeo and Juliet’ finally together, two years after they were acrimoniously split from each other

He said the chance for peace was made possible by the Republican administration’s support for Israel’s destruction of Iran’s proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The White House said momentum was building as Arab and Muslim states showed a renewed focus on resolving the broader decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening relations with the United States.

In February, Trump predicted that Gaza could be redeveloped into what he called the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’. But he was more circumspect on Air Force One on Sunday.

“I haven’t known about Riviera in a while,” Trump said. ‘Too bad. ‘This place looks like a demolition site.’ But he said he hopes to visit the area one day. “I would like to at least keep my feet on the ground,” he said.

The parties did not agree on the post-war administration of Gaza, the reconstruction of the region, and Israel’s demand for the disarmament of Hamas. Negotiations on these issues may fail, and Israel has hinted that it may continue military operations if its demands are not met.

Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, and the region’s nearly 2 million residents continue to struggle in desperate conditions. Under the agreement, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings to help ease the flow of food and other supplies into Gaza, where parts of the country are experiencing shortages.

Approximately 200 U.S. troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire agreement as part of a team that includes partner countries, nongovernmental organizations and private sector players.