Today, Ivanka Trump was observed hugging her father as he made his arrival in Israel, where his itinerary includes speaking at the Knesset and engaging with the families of hostages who were recently released by Hamas. 

She was pictured greeting Donald Trump as he stepped off Air Force One at Ben Gurion Airport this morning, kissing him on the cheek and hugging him. 

Ivanka has already spent several days in Israel. During the weekend, she was greeted with chants of ‘Thank you, Trump’ at a rally taking place in Tel Aviv. 

And today in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, both Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner received a standing ovation from Israeli politicians.  

After the achievement of a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, which led to the release of hostages captured on October 7, 2023, Ivanka addressed the crowd in Tel Aviv, stating: ‘The return of each hostage signifies more than just a homecoming and relief, it represents a victory of faith, courage, and our shared humanity’.

She added: ‘We pray, and so many people are working so hard…so hard to ensure that this coming week is one of healing for you all. 

‘One of healing as we begin and embark on the next chapter, which God willing, after far too long, will be a lasting and enduring peace’. 

Ivanka also brought a message from her father, President Donald Trump.

‘He sees you, he hears you, he stands with you, always,’ she told the crowd to thunderous cheers.

Concluding her brief two-minute address, she added, ‘We hope this week is filled with healing for everyone.’ She offered blessings to the crowd for their solidarity throughout this dark period.

Her spouse, Jared Kushner, 44, also delivered remarks to the crowd. Jared played a pivotal role in securing the peace agreement, having traveled to Egypt with US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to negotiate a ceasefire.

‘The dreadful events left a profound impact on me, and I will never be the same,’ Jared remarked about October 7, 2023, when the conflict erupted following a Hamas attack on a music festival, resulting in 1,200 deaths and 251 kidnappings of Israelis. ‘It brought me to tears.’

‘Instead of replicating the barbarous of the enemy, you chose to be exceptional, you chose to stand for the values that you stand for, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a friend of Israel’s, somebody that supports Israel, and somebody that fights very strongly to see Israel survive and see it’s fullest potential.’

He also thanked the ‘amazing soldiers of the IDF.’ 

‘Without their heroism, brilliance, and bravery, this deal would not have been possible, so really want to give a big tribute to them,’ he said.

Jared said he hoped this deal will make the world more ‘peaceful,’ help ‘build bridges of understanding’ and to ‘eliminate hatred.’

Though she took an active role in her father’s last presidency, Ivanka no longer works for Donald Trump’s White House. 

Trump and Kushner played key roles in peace negotiations to end the war in Gaza, which today saw Hamas release all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the territory, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and had left scores of captives in militant hands.

Palestinians, meanwhile, awaited the release of more than 1,900 of prisoners held by Israel, with the first two buses leaving Ofer Prison in the early afternoon.

The 20 hostages, all men, arrived back Israel, where they will reunite with their families and undergo medical checks. The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear.

While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners raised hopes for ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.

The ceasefire is also expected to be accompanied by a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage.

In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the dead were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

The toll is expected to grow as bodies are pulled from rubble previously made inaccessible by fighting.

The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its some 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

‘Much of Gaza is a wasteland,’ UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the AP on Sunday.

People gathered in a square in Tel Aviv sobbed as photos of the hostages reuniting with their families flashed up on the large screens. The hostages have become household names and their faces familiar across Israel over the past two years, and tens of thousands of Israelis watched the transfers at public screenings across the country.

Soon after the hostages arrived back – after being handed first to the Red Cross, then to the military – Israel released the first photos of hostages arriving home. They included one showing 28-year-old twins Gali and Ziv Berman embracing as they were reunited. Hostages previously released had said the twins from Kfar Aza were held separately.

The photos of the first seven hostages released Monday showed them looking pale but less gaunt than some of the hostages freed in January.

Palestinians, meanwhile, awaited the release of prisoners. An armoured vehicle flying an Israeli flag fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a crowd. As drones buzzed overhead, the group scattered.

The tear gas followed the circulation of a flyer warning that anyone supporting what it called ‘terrorist organisations’ risked arrest. Israel’s military did not respond to questions about the flyer, which The Associated Press obtained on site.

The prisoners slated for release include 250 people serving life sentences for convictions in attacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge. They will be returned to the West Bank or Gaza or sent into exile.

The hostages’ return caps a painful chapter for Israel. Since they were captured in the attack that ignited the war, newscasts have marked their days in captivity and Israelis have worn yellow pins and ribbons in solidarity. Tens of thousands have joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.

As the war dragged on, demonstrators accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging his feet for political purposes, even as he accused Hamas of intransigence. Last week, under heavy international pressure and increasing isolation for Israel, the bitter enemies agreed to the ceasefire.

It remains unclear when the remains of 28 dead hostages will be returned. An international task force will work to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the hostages and the missing.

Trump arrived Monday in Israel, where he was to speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Vice President JD Vance said Trump was likely to meet with newly freed hostages.

‘The war is over,’ Trump told reporters as he departed – even though his ceasefire deal leaves many unanswered questions about the future of Hamas and Gaza.

Among the most thorny is Israel’s insistence that a weakened Hamas disarm. Hamas refuses to do that and wants to ensure Israel pulls its troops completely out of Gaza.

So far, the Israeli military has withdrawn from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza’s far north, and the wide strip along the length of Gaza’s border with Israel.

The future governance of Gaza also remains unclear. Under the US plan, an international body will govern the territory, overseeing Palestinian technocrats running day-to-day affairs. Hamas has said Gaza’s government should be worked out among Palestinians.

Later on Monday, Trump will head to Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will lead a summit with leaders from more than 20 countries on the future of Gaza and the broader Middle East.

Netanyahu will also attend the meeting in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli side.

Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, is also expected, according to a judge and adviser to Abbas, Mahmoud al-Habbash. The plan envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority – something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.

The plan also calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy. About 200 U.S. troops are now in Israel to monitor the ceasefire.

The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, another nonstarter for Netanyahu.