'Gaza deal marks new era of peace and stability" for the Middle East'

THE Gaza ceasefire deal "closes a painful chapter in human history and opens a new era of peace and stability" for the Middle East, says Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Sisi, who signed a declaration with his fellow guarantors of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, said it marked a "historic day" for peace that set the stage for a two-state solution.

His remarks came as Hamas handed over bodies of four Israeli hostages who died in captivity,  to the Red Cross.

"The Red Cross has received two coffins of deceased hostages and are on their way to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip, where the two additional coffins of deceased hostages, that were received earlier, are located," the military said.

Earlier, Hamas freed all 20 surviving hostages it had been holding since October 7, 2023, as part of a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump.

In return, Israel released 1,968 prisoners and detainees, mostly Palestinians, the prison service said.

Hamas still holds the remains of 24 deceased hostages, which it has agreed to return to Israel as part of the ceasefire deal.

"Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages," the military said.

Trump hailed a "tremendous day for the Middle East" as he and regional leaders signed a declaration meant to cement the  ceasefire in Gaza.

Trump made a lightning visit to Israel, where he lauded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an address to parliament, before flying to Egypt for a Gaza summit where he and the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey signed the declaration as guarantors to the Gaza deal.

"This is a tremendous day for the world, it's a tremendous day for the Middle East," Trump said as more than two dozen world leaders sat down to talk in the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

"The document is going to spell out rules and regulations and lots of other things," Trump said before signing, repeating twice that "it's going to hold up."

"From October 7 until this week, Israel has been a nation at war, enduring burdens that only a proud and faithful people could withstand," Trump told lawmakers during an address to Israel's parliament, where he received a lengthy standing ovation upon his arrival.

"For so many families across this land, it has been years since you've known a single day of true peace," he continued.

"Not only for Israelis, but also for Palestinians and for many others, the long and painful nightmare is finally over."

Cape Times