Trump declares “Peace in the Middle East” as hostages and prisoners return home at last | BBC News

Israelis and Palestinians have been celebrating the return of hostages and prisoners and brings hopes of permanent peace after two years of war in Gaza.

Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages who returned to Israel for joyful and tearful reunions with their families. Around 1,700 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released by Israel, to the Gaza and the West Bank.

The US President Donald Trump flew to Israel where he was given a hero’s reception on the streets and in the Knesset, or Parliament. Mr Trump said it was the “historic dawn of a new Middle East” and called for a new age of co-operation.

He told Israeli MPs: “This is not only the end of war – this is the end of an age of terror and death,” the US president said. “Israel, with our help, has won all that it can by force of arms. Now it’s time to translate those victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”

The President then flew on to Egypt for a summit with more than 20 world leaders to endorse his peace deal and plans to rebuild Gaza. The guarantors of the agreement, the US, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, signed an agreement setting out their roles in maintaining peace and establishing a path to Palestinian self-rule.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Jeremy Bowen, Lucy Wiliamson, Tom Bateman and Fergal Keane.

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