Trump jets off to Israel, says ‘Gaza war is over’ 

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday night departed Washington for a high-profile visit to the Middle East, beginning with Israel, where he is expected to meet families of hostages and hold talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Trump spoke briefly to reporters, describing the trip as a “very special event” and expressing optimism about the ongoing peace efforts in the region.

“This is going to be a very special time,” Trump said. “There were 500,000 people yesterday and today in Israel, and the Muslim and Arab countries were cheering. Everyone was cheering at one time — that’s never happened before. Usually, if you have one cheering, the other is the opposite,” he added.

He continued, declaring that “the war is over”. He says that “everybody is into his deal” to bring an end to the war in Gaza and  adds that the ceasefire “is going to hold”. “Everybody is happy, and I think it’s going to stay that way,” he says

He concluded his remarks by saying, “Everybody is amazed, they’re thrilled, and we’re going to have an amazing time.”

According to the White House, the president is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Monday morning. His itinerary includes meetings with hostage families, a bilateral discussion with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and an address to the Knesset.

Trump will later travel to Cairo, Egypt, where he is expected to co-host a Gaza Peace Plan Summit with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi aimed at securing a long-term truce and humanitarian corridor in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum announced that Hostages Square would remain open overnight, providing continuous live coverage of the expected release of hostages. The forum described the moment as “historic and deeply moving,” inviting members of the public to witness the event in person.

The square has been the site of weekly rallies calling for the safe return of Israeli hostages since the conflict began.