'Two years of torment over' and Trump declares 'historic dawn'

A man in a grey T-shirt and sunglasses holds his hands in a heard position.Image source, Getty Images
  • Published

The hostage and prisoner exchange that has accompanied the ceasefire in the war in Gaza dominates Tuesday's front pages.

"Freed from hell" is the way the Sun, external headlines its coverage of the release of hostages after 737 days of captivity - over a photo of 24-year-old Evyatar David - last publicly seen in a Hamas video in August, digging what was described as "his own grave".

The Daily Mirror , externalsays it was a day we thought we'd never see - picturing Avinatan Or making a heart gesture with his hands. He also features on the front of the Daily Mail, external, reuniting with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, who was rescued from captivity in June last year; the paper notes that he managed to hide the fact that he was an Israeli Special Forces soldier from his captors.

The Times, external says two years of torment are over - the Daily Star , externaltalks of the "hug of love" as it shows the reunion of twins, Gali and Ziv Berman, who had been locked up separately.

The Guardian, external says the truce has brought joy to both Israelis and Palestinians - picturing Israelis celebrating in Tel Aviv - and Palestinians hanging out of bus windows as they celebrate with the crowds below them.

The Financial Times, external says Donald Trump is enjoying his moment in the sun, but warns that peace is not yet a done deal. Writing in the Daily Express, external, the former British Army commander Richard Kemp says hopes of a lasting peace in the Middle East will need longer than Trump's remaining time in the White House, so his most important task will be to ensure that he is succeeded by someone who shares his commitment to peace through strength.

In the meantime, the Daily Telegraph , externalsuggests Trump is now looking for his next project, saying he now wants to end the Ukraine war. The former Foreign Secretary William Hague writes, in the Times, external, that peace could be possible there too, if Trump takes note of his own lesson in Gaza and again backs diplomacy with hard power. It might even lead to that Nobel peace prize at last, he concludes.

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