Israeli military helicopters wait in preparation to transport hostages released by Hamas in Gaza to hospitals in Israel after their arrival at the southern military base in Reim, October 13, 2025.
Maya Levin | Afp | Getty Images
BAGHDAD — Palestinian militant group Hamas freed the first seven surviving Israeli hostages on Monday, marking the first step in a ceasefire deal negotiated with the help of U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to an Israeli army statement, the hostages were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza.
Another transfer involving 13 surviving hostages and 28 additional captives – including 26 confirmed dead and two whose status remains uncertain – is expected to follow.
As part of the deal, Israel was also to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners later the same day.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, in an interview with CNBC on Sunday, said Trump was “serious about achieving peace” ahead of a high-stakes summit in Egypt aimed at ending the two-year war in Gaza.
Egypt is expected to host more than 20 world leaders, including Trump, in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday for talks expected to focus on securing lasting peace and rebuilding the devastated enclave.
Al-Sudani called the US initiative “important” and expressed hope that the truce would be “long-lasting and the beginning of a radical solution to this problem.”
“The Palestinian issue is the root of the problem in the Middle East,” he told CNBC’s Dan Murphy. “It is time to find solutions through dialogue and respect for international institutions and agreements.”
The comments follow a two-year conflict sparked by Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed some 1,200 people and took hundreds of hostages. The Israeli response has left more than 67,000 Palestinians dead, including thousands of civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Al-Sudani said Iraq supports “any peaceful solution that would lead to an end to this war”, warning that civilians in Gaza face not only bombing but also “hunger, thirst and lack of the most basic necessities of life”.
“Iraq is the country that has suffered the most from wars,” he added. “We are sensitive to all these issues that harm the humanitarian community.”
Members of Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, stand guard next to vehicles carrying freed Israeli hostages on a main road in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, October 13, 2025.
Bashar Taleb | Afp | Getty Images
Post-war plans
Asked about reports that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would help coordinate the post-war transition in Gaza, Al-Sudani described Blair as “a great friend of the Iraqis” and praised his involvement.
“According to the plan, it was necessary for an international administration or person to help … manage this transition process,” he said, citing the urgent need to restore services and deliver aid.

On whether Iraq could normalize relations with Israel, Al-Sudani said Baghdad’s position is defined by law and “a position of principle.”
“Our government belongs to a parliamentary system and is bound by the laws passed by Parliament,” he said.
Israel, he added, “has unfortunately committed numerous crimes against the Palestinian people over the decades. Palestinians today deserve a better reality and a better future.”
Regional hotspots
Addressing broader regional tensions, Al-Sudani warned that peace efforts cannot be limited to Gaza.
“Syria certainly represents a national security problem for Iraq, and it also affects the national security of all countries in the region,” he said.
He called Israeli incursions into Syrian territory “incorrect and unacceptable,” saying they violate international law and “reinforce instability in a country that everyone wants to see restored.”
The prime minister added that remnants of the Islamic State group continue to operate in Syria, having seized weapons from the former Syrian army.
“They pose a real threat to all countries in the region,” he said.
“Any weakening of the administration in Damascus will allow extremists to take control and threaten the security and stability of this sensitive region.”
Young Palestinians watch as a bus bearing the emblem of the International Red Cross heads towards the eastern Gaza Strip from Khan Yunis, south of the besieged territory, on October 13, 2025, ahead of the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas since the October 7 attacks two years ago.
Omar Al-Qattaa | Afp | Getty Images