People Were Crying, They Feel Hope and Relief: AP Journalist for Newsmax Balkans on Reception of Hostages in Tel Aviv

Associated Press (AP) journalist Sam Madnick spoke to Newsmax Balkans from Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where several thousand people had gathered.

"People have been happy all day, Hostage Square was packed. People were crying as they watched the release and saw the hostages embrace their loved ones. Twenty hostages have been freed, while 28 remain in Gaza. There is a tremendous sense of hope, relief, and ecstasy", the AP journalist said.

She added that there had been so much destruction in Gaza and that everyone wanted the war to end.

"Some families have seen their loved ones for the first time after not knowing anything about them for a long time. Many say they are returning home, but also that they are returning to nothing, as some neighborhoods have been completely destroyed. They have nothing and are unsure how they will manage to rebuild everything and move forward", Madnick pointed out.

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Egypt, where he was welcomed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and senior state officials, ahead of the start of the international summit on the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

"The summit has begun. Trump spent more time in Israel, so he arrived there later. Tony Blair is also present. They will be discussing how the ceasefire will hold, and there will be extensive negotiations. We expect Trump to speak soon", the journalist reported.

Speaking about how people there perceive Trump in relation to the ceasefire, she emphasized that they like him and believe that without him, there would have been no truce.

"Those whose loved ones died in Gaza want those bodies returned to Israel. The next phase of the ceasefire is expected, which involves more complicated issues, primarily who will govern Gaza. People want to understand the logistics of the next stage", Madnick concluded.

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