There's huge uncertainty over the next steps for Gaza, the day after a ceasefire deal saw 20 living Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners emotionally reunited with their families – here's a recap of what happened
The IDF says it has identified the bodies of four hostages returned by Hamas, and named two of them as Bipin Joshi and Guy Illouz
But bereaved Israeli families have expressed anger that only four out of 28 deceased hostages have been handed over so far
The ceasefire agreement, published by Israeli media, appears to have acknowledged that Hamas and other Palestinian factions may not be able to locate where all the remains are within the timeframe given
As Israel's freed hostages undergo medical checks, Israeli media are reporting news of their ordeals, including starvation and torture
In Gaza, many of the hundreds of Palestinians released after being held without charge by Israel during the war, have been alleging torture and mistreatment; some expecting to be reunited with their families find they've been killed
Donald Trump hailed a "tremendous day for the Middle East" as he and regional leaders signed a document to cement his Gaza ceasefire deal
Edited by Alex Smith and Dulcie Lee
Imogen Foulkes
Reporting from Geneva
United Nations aid agencies say the challenges to bring supplies into Gaza and to begin reconstruction are immense, with unexploded ordnance hampering the operation.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed when it retrieved hostages in Gaza on Monday, its teams included weapons contamination experts to ensure the route and handover point were safe.
The ICRC says its operation continues today and it expects the bodies of more deceased hostages to be handed over in the coming hours.
The Red Cross has also appealed for an immediate scale up of aid into Gaza, saying that not all crossing points have been opened up yet.
Aid agencies describe the destruction in Gaza as "devastating" – with water, electricity, and healthcare systems collapsed.
There has been "an increase in the volume of aid" entering Gaza since the ceasefire deal was reached, Unicef's Tess Ingram says.
But, she tells the BBC, crossings were closed for the hostage release yesterday, and an Israeli holiday today, "so it's not going to be until the end of this week that we really get a sense of the true volume of aid coming in".
Speaking from Gaza City, Ingram says the situation remains desperate, with it being "a race against the clock when it comes to the urgent needs on the ground".
People need the basic necessities, she says, while "diseases are spreading, the weather is getting colder… and families are exposed to the elements".
Despite the hardship, Ingram says there's a sense of determination among Gazan families. “People are grieving everything they’ve lost, but they’re holding on to hope – hope for peace, for schools reopening and for a brighter future," she says.
Tom Bennett
Reporting from Jerusalem
Many of the prisoners were freed from Ofer Prison on Monday morning
The families of Palestinian prisoners and detainees were shocked yesterday to see the state of their loved ones who returned from Israeli jails.
As prisoners exited a bus in Ramallah, they looked gaunt and pale, with some struggling to walk. I saw several men being propped up or carried by family members.
Testimony has begun to emerge of widespread mistreatment in Israeli prisons – including torture, deprivation of food, and beating.
The BBC cannot independently verify these claims. But Israel's top court said last month that Palestinian prisoners were not being given adequate food. The BBC has also previously reported on Palestinians being tortured in Israeli detention.
The BBC has contacted the Israel Prison Service (IPS) for comment. Israel's government has previously rejected accusations of widespread ill-treatment and torture of detainees, and insisted that it is "fully committed to international legal standards".
Some of the allegations we’ve heard are of an increase in mistreatment in the days prior to the release of the prisoners.
Yesterday's release involved about 250 Palestinian prisoners who had been convicted of crimes including murder and deadly attacks against Israelis – and about 1,700 detainees from Gaza who had been held by Israel without charge.
Outside the conference hall in Ramallah where many families gathered to receive their loved ones, Aya Shreiteh, 26, from the Palestinian Prisoners Club told me: "Their rights were violated in the most serious ways".
"Most of the prisoners in the past year were subjected to deliberate starvation and exposure to illness," she said. "Their bodies are frail from starvation." 
Rushdi Abualouf
Gaza correspondent
Reports of masked Hamas gunmen executing eight Palestinians in public have triggered fear and outrage among residents of Gaza – a territory already exhausted by two years of war, displacement and destruction.
The killings, which Hamas says targeted “criminals and collaborators with Israel”, come just days after violent clashes between Hamas fighters and members of the powerful Dughmush clan in Gaza City left more than 50 people dead – including 12 Hamas members.
As families were still celebrating the release of around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 20 Israeli hostages, renewed gunfire erupted on Tuesday morning in Gaza’s eastern Shejaiya district.
While Hamas maintains that its fighters are working to “restore security” and “eliminate lawlessness,” many fear the group is using the chaos to settle scores with rivals and silence critics including those who questioned its 7 October attack that sparked the war.
Mumen al-Natoor, a lawyer lives in Gaza, condemns the executions as lawless acts: “Why are people cheering for chaos? A masked man kills another masked man without any proof, without investigation, without a court, without even a waiting period for appeal what do we call this? Resistance? No, this is lawlessness,” he says.
“Those who kill without law are criminals. We will hold them accountable. We are witnesses to the darkest chapter in our history.”
Human rights activist Khalil Abu Shammala tells the BBC that Gaza has entered a “new and dangerous phase.”
“I see fear, defeat and despair in people’s eyes,” he says. “Yes, the war has stopped, but the challenges ahead are enormous. Unless people see real steps that give them hope, many will continue to leave Gaza not out of choice, but because they feel they have no future here.”
Ibrahim Faris, an activist who lives in central Gaza Strip, calls internal fighting a “sin.”
“You can’t correct one mistake with another,” he says. “Executions without fair trial are a crime. May God guide our people.”
The public executions, the worst internal bloodshed since the ceasefire took effect, have reinforced a sense of dread that Gaza’s next battle may no longer be with Israel, but among Palestinians themselves.
Imogen Foulkes
Reporting from Geneva
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – which is currently assessing reconstruction needs in Gaza – says over 80% of all buildings in the Strip are destroyed or damaged.
In Gaza City the figure is 92%, it says.
A UNDP spokesman in Geneva describes the destruction as "devastating". The organisation estimates at least 55m tonnes of rubble need to be cleared.
UNDP says it has started some clearance, but unexploded ordnance is hampering the work. It adds that bodies – which require identification and preservation – are regularly being found.
A reconstruction cost estimate carried out by the UN, the European Union, and the World Bank suggests at least $70bn (£52.7bn) will be needed to make Gaza habitable again.
More now on Israel saying it has identified the bodies of the four deceased hostages returned by Hamas yesterday.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says Guy Illouz "was injured and abducted alive" after escaping the Nova music festival on 7 October 2023.
It says they believe he "died from his wounds after not receiving proper medical treatment" while being held captive.
The IDF adds that it believes Nepalese agriculture student Bipin Joshi was "murdered in captivity during the first months of the war".
It has not revealed the identities of the other two hostages released yesterday.
Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that four people have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza's eastern Shejaiya neighbourhood.
It quotes a medical source saying they were killed "when Israeli drones fired at residents inspecting their homes".
In a statement on Telegram, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson says "a number of suspects were identified who crossed the Yellow Line and approached IDF forces operating in the northern Gaza Strip, which constitutes a violation of the agreement."
For context: The yellow line is where Israeli troops have withdrawn to under Trump's ceasefire plan.
"Attempts were made to repel the suspects. The suspects did not respond and continued to approach the forces, the forces fired to eliminate the threat," it adds.
A Hamas spokesman called the gunfire a "violation of the ceasefire agreement".
Israel has banned foreign journalists from entering Gaza independently. BBC News, and other foreign media, rely on local reporters in the Strip.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it has identified the bodies of the deceased hostages returned by Hamas yesterday.
It says it has informed the families of Guy Illouz, Bipin Joshi and "two additional deceased abductees whose names have not yet been cleared for publication by their families", that their loved ones have been brought back for burial.
As a reminder – Illouz and Joshi's names were featured on Hamas's list of four bodies it returned to Israel yesterday.
We'll bring you more information on this shortly.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization (WHO), says that since the ceasefire took effect in Gaza, they have been scaling up their operations.
This includes deploying an emergency medical team to boost care at a hospital, and bringing eight trucks of medical supplies into the region – "including insulin, lab supplies and essential medicines".
He adds: “Gaza’s health system must be rehabilitated and rebuilt. This crisis gives us the opportunity to rebuild it better – stronger, fairer and centred on people’s needs.
“The best medicine is peace,” he says.
Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Sharm el-Sheikh
President Trump came to Sharm el-Sheikh for a summit with more than 20 world leaders last night that was more about symbolism than substance.
He offered new information, however, when he said negotiations over the remaining points of his 20-point plan for Gaza were already under way – but there were no details about how, where and when they would be carried out.
No representatives from Israel and Hamas came to the meeting, so it is unlikely that any meaningful progress was made. Major obstacles remain, including the future of Hamas, the scale of the Israeli withdrawal and who will govern Gaza.
These are sticking points that will require difficult, and possibly long, talks.
Trump sounded optimistic, repeatedly saying that the war had ended, and that the ceasefire would hold.
Despite the lack of clarity – or even of a plan – about what will happen next, the president is selling his deal as something that goes beyond Gaza. In Sharm el-Sheikh, a huge banner behind the leaders in attendance had a message, saying “Peace in the Middle East”.
In the speeches Trump made here and earlier at the Israeli parliament, he employed his familiar hyperbole and made exaggerated claims – such as that “the Holy Land was at peace”, or that this moment was the “historic dawn of a new Middle East”.
Notably, there was no mention of Palestinian statehood, which is at the centre of so many wars in the region.
A comprehensive regional agreement will never happen if this issue is not solved. Before that, the deal in Gaza needs to be properly discussed and finalised – and not even that is guaranteed.
While there's uncertainty over the next steps in the Gaza peace process, at a summit in Egypt yesterday four world leaders signed a document about the war – called "The Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity".
It was jointly signed by US President Donald Trump, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The full text of that document has been released by the White House – here it is:
We, the undersigned, welcome the truly historic commitment and implementation by all parties to the Trump Peace Agreement, ending more than two years of profound suffering and loss — opening a new chapter for the region defined by hope, security, and a shared vision for peace and prosperity.
We support and stand behind President Trump’s sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza and bring lasting peace to the Middle East. Together, we will implement this agreement in a manner that ensures peace, security, stability, and opportunity for all peoples of the region, including both Palestinians and Israelis.
We understand that lasting peace will be one in which both Palestinians and Israelis can prosper with their fundamental human rights protected, their security guaranteed, and their dignity upheld.
We affirm that meaningful progress emerges through cooperation and sustained dialogue, and that strengthening bonds among nations and peoples serves the enduring interests of regional and global peace and stability.
We recognize the deep historical and spiritual significance of this region to the faith communities whose roots are intertwined with the land of the region — Christianity, Islam, and Judaism among them. Respect for these sacred connections and the protection of their heritage sites shall remain paramount in our commitment to peaceful coexistence.
We are united in our determination to dismantle extremism and radicalization in all its forms. No society can flourish when violence and racism is normalized, or when radical ideologies threaten the fabric of civil life. We commit to addressing the conditions that enable extremism and to promoting education, opportunity, and mutual respect as foundations for lasting peace.
We hereby commit to the resolution of future disputes through diplomatic engagement and negotiation rather than through force or protracted conflict. We acknowledge that the Middle East cannot endure a persistent cycle of prolonged warfare, stalled negotiations, or the fragmentary, incomplete, or selective application of successfully negotiated terms. The tragedies witnessed over the past two years must serve as an urgent reminder that future generations deserve better than the failures of the past.
We seek tolerance, dignity, and equal opportunity for every person, ensuring this region is a place where all can pursue their aspirations in peace, security, and economic prosperity, regardless of race, faith, or ethnicity.
We pursue a comprehensive vision of peace, security, and shared prosperity in the region, grounded in the principles of mutual respect and shared destiny.
In this spirit, we welcome the progress achieved in establishing comprehensive and durable peace arrangements in the Gaza Strip, as well as the friendly and mutually beneficial relationship between Israel and its regional neighbors. We pledge to work collectively to implement and sustain this legacy, building institutional foundations upon which future generations may thrive together in peace.
We commit ourselves to a future of enduring peace.
The steps carried out so far – including a ceasefire and the release of hostages, prisoners and detainees – are just the start of Donald Trump's 20-point plan. And there are potential hurdles which lie ahead.
Under the plan, if both sides agree, the war will "immediately end", Gaza will be demilitarised and all "military, terror and offensive infrastructure" will be destroyed.
It says once hostages are returned, "Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty."
It adds: "Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries."
The plan says Gaza would initially be governed by a temporary transitional committee of Palestinian technocrats – supervised by a "Board of Peace" headed and chaired by the US president, and involving former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Governance of the Gaza Strip would eventually be handed over to the Palestinian Authority – which administers the occupied West Bank – once it "has completed its reform programme".
Hamas – which has run the territory since 2007 – would play no future role in its governance, directly or indirectly, according to the plan.
In Israel, people stood as vehicles carrying bodies of the four deceased hostages passed by
Families of the dead hostages whose bodies remain in Gaza have expressed anger after Hamas returned only four of the 28 bodies believed to still be there.
Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas had until midday local time (12:00 BST) yesterday to return all hostages to Israel – alive and deceased.
The Israeli military confirmed it had received the remains of four hostages, and will be carrying out forensic tests to confirm their identities.
Hamas said they were the bodies of Guy Illouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi and Daniel Peretz. It has said the burial sites of the 24 others are unknown, and will take time to locate.
The ceasefire agreement, published by Israeli media, appears to have acknowledged that Hamas and other Palestinian factions may not be able to locate all the remains within the given timeframe.
Yesterday the Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum urged the Israeli government to suspend the ceasefire deal, saying Hamas’s "violation of the deal must be met with a serious response".
Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said releasing only four bodies would be a "failure" by Hamas to meet its commitments.
While on board Air Force One, Donald Trump took questions from reporters, including the BBC's US State Department correspondent Tom Bateman.
He asked the president his thoughts on the road ahead for governing Gaza, and whether it's premature to declare peace for the whole of the Middle East.
Watch their full exchange below:
This video can not be played
Donald Trump has just landed back home in Washington DC after a short to Israel and Egypt, where a document on the Gaza deal was signed.
Posting on his Truth Social platform in the last hour, he writes: "Accomplished so much today in Israel and Egypt. A lot of work, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It was an experience like no other!"
Speaking to reporters onboard Air Force One earlier, the US president hailed an "historic day" as he reflected on the agreement and looked ahead to what's next for the Gaza Strip.
"I think it's an important day, because nobody thought this was possible,” Trump said.
He added: “A lot of people like the one-state solution. Some people like the two-state solutions. We'll have to see. I haven't commented on that.”
Asked whether peace will hold when he is no longer president, Trump said: “I can't tell you what's going to happen, but I'll be out there fighting for whoever it may be.”
Former hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal waves outside Beilinson Hospital in Tel Aviv
Here's a quick recap of what happened during yesterday's hostage and prisoner exchange:
Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem
As Israel’s freed hostages undergo medical checks, Israeli media are reporting news of their ordeals – how they endured long periods of starvation and torture.
One man is said to have been held for two years in isolation.
Forensic tests are now being carried out to check the identities of four bodies which Hamas returned to Israel.
Families of some deceased hostages have accused Israel’s government of betrayal for not doing more to bring their loved ones back for burial.
In Gaza, many of the hundreds of Palestinians released after being held without charge by Israel during the war, have been alleging torture and mistreatment.
Some expected to be reunited with their families only to find they’d been killed.
President Trump left the region after signing off his peace plan at the Gaza summit in Egypt. But key details are yet to be settled and will need to be negotiated to keep the plan moving forward and prevent fighting restarting.
Hamas is continuing to reassert its authority in Gaza, with videos emerging – last night – of its gunmen executing bound and blindfolded men from rival gangs in the street, accusing them of collaborating with Israel.
We're resuming our live coverage this morning – and will bring you the key lines here as they happen.
Alice Cuddy
Reporting from Tel Aviv
In Hostages Square, Israel, the clock still ticks as 24 deceased hostages remain in Gaza
It’s been a momentous day, with scenes of celebration as Israel’s last surviving hostages returned home from Gaza after two years. Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released as part of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
In Hostages Square, emotional crowds waved Israeli and US flags and photos of the hostages as they watched their return, in what several described to the BBC as a moment of national unity.
There was anger and confusion later on, when Hamas returned only four bodies – leaving 24 deceased hostages in Gaza.
In Gaza and the occupied West Bank, there were tears and screams of joy as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees were freed.
The release involved about 250 prisoners who had been convicted of crimes including murder and deadly attacks against Israelis – and about 1,700 detainees from Gaza who had been held by Israel without charge.
US President Donald Trump hailed it as a “tremendous day” for the Middle East as he visited Israel, followed by a trip to Egypt, where regional leaders signed a document to cement his ceasefire deal.
But questions linger about what happens next and whether or not the plan really will be a path to lasting peace.
Here in Hostages Square, a clock keeping count of the amount of days the hostages have been in Gaza – which many hoped would be switched off today – is still ticking.
Gali and Ziv Berman on their way to the hospital after their release
Today saw 20 living hostages still in Gaza released and almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees freed.
Here's how it played out:
A complicated process: The release of Israeli hostages took place in stages. They were released in two groups – one group of seven, and a group of thirteen. They were first handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) by Hamas in Gaza. They were then met by IDF troops who escorted them back to Israel.
Relief and joy: There were tears and cheers in Hostages Square to the news that the hostages were on their way home. Avinatan Or was reunited with his partner, and former hostage, Noa Argamani. Lishay Miran saw her husband for the first time since he was driven away by Hamas gunmen in his own car.
Some were not returned: Hamas announced shortly after it handed over the living hostages, that only four deceased hostages remains would be returned to Israel today. Though the Israeli defence minister condemned Hamas' "failure" to meet its commitments, the four coffins were transported back to Israel
Palestinians arrive back in Khan Younis after being released under the ceasefire agreement
Detainees released: 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 detainees from Gaza were released today. One mother, on seeing her son again in Gaza, simply said: "thank god he is okay".
Huge crowds in Gaza: Buses of Palestinians were first seen arriving in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank this morning, where huge crowds and visibly emotional relatives were there to greet them. A little later in the day, released Palestinians arrived in Khan Younis, in Gaza.
Some were not reunited: In Gaza, the scene was one of stark contrast: those reuniting with family members and those learning their loved ones had been deported to the Gaza Strip and Egypt. one woman waiting for her brother says "I waited until the last prisoner got off the bus, but I didn't see him".
You can also catch up with the latest coverage across the BBC here:
Red cross vehicles transport hostages held in Gaza
Released Israeli hostage Avinatan Or held in Gaza since the October 7 attacks kisses his girlfriend
A man greets a freed Palestinian prisoner released by Israel
Donald Trump said the ceasefire will "hold up" as he signed a document alongside officials from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and US President Donald Trump at the peace summit in Egypt
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