In a dramatic statement aboard Air Force One, U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday declared that “the war is over in Gaza” as he set out on a high-stakes Middle East peace mission to Israel and Egypt.
Speaking to reporters before his departure, the 79-year-old president described the trip as “very special” and expressed optimism that the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas would hold.
“The war is over. Okay? You understand that?” Trump said when asked about the ongoing truce. “I think it’s going to hold. People are tired of it. It’s been centuries,” he added.
During his visit to Israel, Trump is expected to meet with families of hostages abducted by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attacks, before addressing the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem.
He will then proceed to Egypt, where he and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will co-host a summit of over 20 world leaders in support of his recently brokered 20-point peace plan aimed at securing lasting peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East.
According to Trump, the summit will serve as both a validation of his peace efforts and a platform to solidify the next steps of the agreement. “Everybody’s very excited about this moment in time. This is a very special event,” he said before boarding his flight from Washington.
Accompanying Trump on the trip are key U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and top military adviser Dan Caine.
Despite optimism, challenges remain. Hamas has yet to agree to disarm, and Israel has not committed to a full withdrawal from Gaza. However, Trump maintained that he had “verbal guarantees” from both sides and “didn’t think they’d want to disappoint” him.
The U.S. leader hinted at plans to personally visit Gaza “when security allows,” adding, “I’d like to put my feet on it at least.”
Trump also revealed that a new governing body for Gaza — to be headed by him under the proposed framework — would be established “very quickly.” However, he appeared uncertain about involving former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, saying, “I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody.”
#DonaldTrump #GazaPeaceDeal #TrumpInIsrael #TrumpInEgypt #MiddleEastPeace #GazaWar #IsraelHamas #WorldNews #PeaceSummit #AbdelFattahAlSisi #BenjaminNetanyahu #TonyBlair #GlobalPolitics #BreakingNews #USPolitics
