The remaining living Israeli hostages are being freed by Hamas this morning – with Donald Trump in Israel to mark the moment. The US president and other world leaders are gathering in Egypt for a “signing ceremony” to mark the Gaza peace plan later today. Watch and follow live below.
Monday 13 October 2025 09:21, UK
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By Mark Stone, US correspondent, in Sharm el-Sheikh
There has been considerable focus on the role played by the UK government in bringing about this peace deal.
Yesterday, speaking to Sky News, UK government minister Bridget Philipson said that the UK “played a key role behind the scenes in shaping this”.
The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, then quoted her, writing: “I assure you she is delusional. She can thank Donald Trump anytime just to set the record straight.”
This morning, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff contradicted Huckabee’s words.
On X, he posted:
“I would like to acknowledge the vital role of the United Kingdom in assisting and coordinating efforts that have led us to this historic day in Israel. In particular, I want to recognise the incredible input and tireless efforts of National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell.”
Cutting through all this, here’s what I know from conversations with sources…
Steve Witkoff and Jonathan Powell are close.
Witkoff is said to value Powell’s judgement on conflict resolution. Powell, remember, played a central role (along with Tony Blair and the Americans) in the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement.
I am told that Witkoff and Jared Kushner (Trump’s son-in-law and key envoy in this process) also value Powell and Blair’s connections in the Middle East, which have proved very useful over the past few months.
One source has told me that Witkoff singled out Powell as a valuable ‘counsel’ to him in conversations at Trump’s recent state visit to the UK.
Tony Blair’s involvement in the peace process and the ‘day after’ plans is in a private capacity. He is not working for the UK government.
However, he and Powell are close – they go back decades. Blair and Witkoff are also close.
And so it’s clear that relationships, connections, and expertise have all come together to help get this deal over the line.
Blair and Powell are establishment figures and traditional diplomats.
Witkoff and Kushner are deal-making businessmen.
The unlikely combination has been hugely important.
Footage has just come through of Donald Trump arriving at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
Flanked by Benjamin Netanyahu, the US president could be seen sitting down to sign a book with a large black marker.
He then raised the book to show his message, which read “This is a great honour – a great and beautiful day. A new beginning”, followed by his signature.
Trump is expected to deliver a speech to the parliament shortly.
The second group of hostages are on their way back to Israel, an official involved in the operation has told Reuters.
According to the official, the other 13 hostages have now been handed over to the Red Cross, meaning Hamas has now handed over all 20 of the living hostages.
The Israeli military has released the first images showing the seven hostages in an Israeli-controlled part of the Gaza Strip after they were handed over by the Red Cross.
In the pictures, twins Gali and Ziv Berman can be seen hugging each other after being reunited for the first time in more than two years.
They are now back in Israeli territory as Israel waits to receive the other 13 hostages.
With the hostage release under way, Donald Trump was asked on Air Force One before landing in Israel about whether his push for peace could help him get into heaven.
“I don’t think there’s anything that’s going to get me in heaven,” he jokes.
“I think I’m not maybe heaven-bound.
“I may be in heaven right now as we fly in Air Force One, I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to make heaven, but I’ve made life a lot better for a lot of people.”
The US president was also asked about his previous ambition of creating a “Gaza riviera” by a reporter. In response, he said he didn’t know if that was likely for a while, appearing to focus on construction.
“It’s blasted, this is like a demolition site. You have to get rid of what you have there,” he said, speaking about damaged and flattened buildings in Gaza.
Trump added when asked what Gaza would be like a year from now: “A year that’s very quick – but over the years it’ll look very good.”
Red Cross vehicles are reportedly in position at a site in southern Gaza, ready to receive the next wave of Israeli hostages as they are released by Hamas.
The Arabic-language Al-Araby channel is broadcasting the second stage of the hostage release in southern Gaza, filming from a distance, according to The Times of Israel.
The handover is due to take place not in the city of Khan Younis but in a less populated area in an area between the southern and central areas of Gaza.
Red Cross vehicles are now at the site, according to Al-Araby and CNN.
According to the reports, this is the second and final phase of the release of living hostages, during which 13 hostages will be handed over to the Red Cross.
Before landing in Israel, Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One “everybody wants to be part” of peace.
“We’re going to make everybody happy,” he said.
“Whether it’s Jewish or Muslim or the Arab countries, every country is dancing in the streets and it’s a point in time I don’t think you’d ever see again.”
Trump also said “there are a lot of reasons” as to why he believes the ceasefire will hold.
“It’s been centuries, not just recent, it’s been centuries,” he said.
“I think people are tired of it, the ceasefire is going to hold.”
“Everybody is going to behave,” he added.
Trump to find out if Blair is ‘acceptable choice’ for Gaza
Under Trump’s 20-point peace plan, Tony Blair would lead a temporary governing body in Gaza.
But the US president now says he wants to find out if the former UK prime minister would be an “acceptable choice”.
“I like Tony, I’ve always liked Tony,” Trump added.
It comes after a senior Hamas official told Sky News that Blair would not be welcome in any post-war role for Gaza.
“When it comes to Tony Blair, unfortunately, we Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims and maybe others around the world have bad memories of him,” Dr Basem Naim told our lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim.
“We can still remember his role in killing, causing thousands or millions of deaths to innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“We can still remember him very well after destroying Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Watch part of that interview below.
Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have been pictured together as passengers leaving Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.
The pair could be seen remonstrating and talking to one another in the back of the presidential limousine ahead of the US president’s speech at Israel’s parliament, the Knesset.
Families of the hostages not yet released by Hamas have been able to make contact with them for the first time in more than two years after Hamas allowed them to make a video call.
Einav Zangauker, the mother of Matan Zangauker, can be seen speaking to her son in the video.
“You’re coming home – you’re all coming home,” she tells him.
“There’s no more war.”
Nimrod Cohen, a soldier kidnapped on October 7, also called his parents Viki and Yehuda, which you can see in the picture below.
Sky News spoke to Cohen’s family in July. At the time, they spoke of the hope they still had of his safe return.
Watch our interview from the summer below:
A government minister has played down a “he said, she said” row that broke out between the education secretary and the US ambassador to Israel yesterday.
As per our post at 7.19, Mike Huckabee called Bridget Phillipson “delusional” after she told Sky News the UK played a key role in the Gaza peace deal.
Asked for his reaction to the comments by our lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim, Middle East minister Hamish Falconer said a short while ago: “I’ve been absolutely clear on the very, very important role that I think President Trump and his team, including special envoy Witkoff, played in these negotiations.
“I see the special envoy Witkoff has called out the UK’s vital role in this, which is a generous and welcome statement, and I don’t think it’s at all out of keeping with what the education secretary said yesterday, so I’m not really going to get into a ‘he said, she said’ about this.”
The minister adds the UK government “really cares” about the ceasefire deal and “will stick at this”.
Watch Falconer giving his reaction to the hostage release on Sky News below…
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