'Hostages should be released Monday or Tuesday' - Trump

President Donald Trump has said that hostages should be released Monday or Tuesday at a cabinet meeting held in the White House on Thursday.

The President added that getting the hostages would be a complicated process because "they are in places you don't want to be". 

Addressing the gathering, Trump also said "I think it's going to be a lasting peace, hopefully an everlasting peace,".

Trump said under the plan Gaza is going to be "slowly redone," a reference to plans to rebuild the Palestinian enclave. He did not provide details.

Hamas is expected to release the 20 living hostages together, whilst Israel will free around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees 72 hours after the ceasefire begins.

"We are getting the hostages back on Tuesday, Monday or Tuesday, and that'll be a day of joy," Trump.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal brokered by President Trump, announced late on Wednesday.

The announcement has been met with rejoicing and celeberations across various quarters in the region with one Gaza resident saying "it was like being born again" when he heard the announcement.

Israel's Cabinet is expected to vote on Thursday to approve the US- brokered ceasefire plan. 

The agreement lacks detail on Hamas disarmament, long-term Gaza governance, and mechanisms ensuring a permanent ceasefire. Both sides have called on mediators to ensure compliance, with Hamas urging the international community to pressure Israel to uphold terms.

At the meeting which was also attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War, Trump also touched on Iran. 

"Iran wants to work on peace now, they have informed us. And they have acknowledged that they are totally in favour of this deal, they think it's a great thing," he says, adding they will work with Iran. 

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier in the week denied that talks with Washington would resume. 

Araghchi, citing a report by Kuwaiti publication Al - Jarida said “It is incorrect. We deny it. There has been no contact,”.

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