From PBS News: President Donald Trump set off for Israel and Egypt on Sunday to celebrate the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas and urge Middle East allies to seize the opportunity to build a durable peace in the volatile region.
It’s a fragile moment with Israel and Hamas only in the early stages of implementing the first phase of the Trump agreement designed to bring a permanent end to the war sparked by the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants.
Trump thinks there is a narrow window to reshape the Mideast and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
It is a moment, the Republican president says, that has been helped along by his administration’s support of Israel’s decimation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Trump briefly spoke to reporters before boarding Air Force One Sunday afternoon:
President @realDonaldTrump gaggles with reporters in the rain before departing to Israel and Egypt 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/HTUDTaIMyQ
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) October 12, 2025
And, it’s wheels up! The President of Peace is on his way to Israel.
Air Force One is officially WHEELS UP to Israel — where President Trump is expected to land at about 2:20 AM Eastern Time 🛫🇺🇸🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/k2fO6hEQaT
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 12, 2025
The hostages are supposed to be released before noon Israeli time on Monday.
Shosh Bedrosian, a spokeswoman for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said all 20 living hostages will be “released together at one time to the Red Cross and transported among six to eight vehicles without any sick displays by Hamas, the terror organization.”
While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said it’s possible the 20 living hostages may be released a “little early.”
“Getting them was amazing… and they were in places you don’t want to know about,” he added.
.@POTUS: “They have the hostages — I understand all 20 — and we may get them out a little bit early… They were in places that you don’t want to know about.” pic.twitter.com/c9k4jVdOxN
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 12, 2025
Trump confirmed, “The war is over.” He said the fighting has been going on for centuries, and “I think people are tired of it.”
“The war is over,” says @POTUS on his Gaza Peace Deal.
“I think [the ceasefire] is going to hold… I think people are tired.” pic.twitter.com/0qztDnxZmN
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 12, 2025
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