'Hostages set for release' and 'Hope amid the chaos'
The imminent release of Israeli hostages by Hamas is the focus for most of Monday morning's papers, with the Times dubbing it an "historic opportunity to end the war in Gaza". According to the paper, Hamas says they have custody of all 20 living hostages, and will begin releasing them on Monday under the first phase of the ceasefire plan. US President Donald Trump is expected to land in Israel shortly after the first hostages have been freed.
"Hostages set for freedom in key step to end Gaza war" declares the Guardian, reporting that Israeli hostages freed by Hamas will be driven to a military base to reunite with their families, or taken to hospital if medical care is needed. Following their delivery to Israeli soil, Israel is expected to free around 2000 Palestinian detainees in what the paper calls the "crucial next phase" of the ceasefire deal.
"Hope amid the chaos" reads the Mirror's headline, paired with a photograph of an aid truck in Khan Younis that has been overrun by people desperate for supplies. The paper says Israel and Gaza are on "the cusp of a precarious peace", but points to concerns that "one wrong move will spell disaster".
The Mail calls Monday a "day of destiny", and writes that the "eyes of the world" are on Gaza and Israel as they await the hostage exchange.
"The day they feared would never come" says the Metro, noting that "last minute tensions" remain in Israel despite their agreement to the peace deal negotiated by Trump. The paper says that Israeli special forces are on standby to escort the hostages out of Gaza on Monday, and have orders to disperse crowds using air strikes "if necessary".
The US president is pictured front and centre of the Telegraph, snapped boarding Air Force One as he departed for Israel on Sunday. The paper reports that Sir Keir Starmer will announce £20m of UK aid for Gaza on Monday, as he joins other world leaders for a "peace summit" in Egypt ahead of the hostage release.
The i Paper also leads on the "historic summit" in Egypt, and reports that former prime minister Sir Tony Blair will join Sir Keir and the leaders of 20 other nations at the signing of the truce on Monday. Sir Tony is expected to take a role on the "Board of Peace" at Trump's request, which the president says will supervise Gaza's governance following the ceasefire.
A "revolutionary new MRI procedure" is the lead story for the Daily Express, which reports on "pioneering research" that has led to the development of an MRI scan that could take less than seven minutes. The "breakthrough" could double NHS capacity for the scans, and according to the paper, would boost diagnosis rates for dementia.
US investment banking revenue is expected to top $9bn (£6.7bn) for the first time since 2021, which the Financial Times attributes to the "Trump effect". The paper says the increase of 13% on last year "reflects growing optimism on Wall Street".
The Sun reveals that footballer Marcus Rashford has been hit by building delays that could cost up to £15m, as he builds his "dream home" in Cheshire.
The World Conker Championships have been saved by none other than King Charles III, according to the Daily Star. The paper says that the King donated 300 conkers to the competition from his Windsor estate.
The Middle East features on almost all of the front pages, with the Daily Mirror calling today a "moment of truth" for Gaza. It says Israel and the Palestinians are "on the cusp of a precarious peace", but that there are fears one wrong move will spell disaster. The Guardian calls the freeing of the last living hostages "a key step" to ending the Gaza war. The Sun calls today "Freedom Day", while for the Daily Mail it's a "day of destiny".
The Daily Telegraph has a photograph of US President Donald Trump on its front page, giving a thumbs up as he boarded Air Force One last night to fly to the Middle East. The i Paper describes the meeting in Egypt later today as a "historic summit", which will look to agree a longer term peace deal. The Times says the international leaders gathering in Sharm el-Sheikh will signal global support for the "far trickier" next stage of the negotiations. It say those talks will deal with "fraught" issues, such as Hamas's disarmament and the future governance of Gaza.
The Guardian says a number of charities, including those representing refugees and asylum seekers, are warning that "toxic rhetoric" around immigration and race has led to growing abuse of their staff. Threats have become more explicit since the riots which followed the Southport attacks, with the charities saying they are having to introduce tougher security measures to protect volunteers and property.
UK relations with China remain under the microscope, with the Times saying Beijing was given assurances in advance that Labour would "progress" its planning application for a new super-embassy in London. It reports MPs warned approving the embassy risked further emboldening Beijing after the failure to prosecute two alleged Chinese spies. The Daily Telegraph says the Conservatives want to force a debate in the Commons on the spying case, so ministers have to answer questions.
The Financial Times reports MI5 is stepping up its work with some of the UK's largest companies, about how to prevent or deal with cyber attacks. It says ministers are questioning if firms are prepared, raising concerns about the ripple effects through supply chains after an attack, as was seen with Jaguar Land Rover.
British fans of sumo wrestling have been warned about the dangers of getting too close to contests, according to the Daily Telegraph. A major five-day tournament starts at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday and the venue's website warns spectators accept the best seats "entirely at their own risk", which include being squashed by falling wrestlers and getting hit by salt and sand thrown from the ring.