TEL AVIV: US President Donald Trump arrived in Israel on Monday, landing aboard Air Force One just as the first group of Israeli hostages released from Gaza returned home after more than two years in captivity. His arrival marked the beginning of a high-stakes diplomatic mission aimed at solidifying the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — and celebrating what he has called “the end of the Gaza war.”
Trump was received with full honors at Ben Gurion Airport, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog welcomed him on a red carpet. The brief but symbolic ceremony underscored both the relief of the hostages’ return and the deep uncertainty surrounding the next steps of Trump’s Middle East peace plan.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One before landing, Trump declared that “the war is over in Gaza,” brushing aside skepticism about the ceasefire’s durability and Hamas’s willingness to comply with its terms.
“The war is over. Okay? You understand that?” Trump, 79, said when asked if he was confident that the conflict was truly finished.
“I think it’s going to hold. I think people are tired of it. It’s been centuries.”
The president’s confident tone stood in contrast to the concerns expressed by analysts and diplomats over the tenuous truce between Israel and Hamas, which includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
During his visit, Trump is expected to meet with the families of the freed hostages and later address the Knesset — Israel’s parliament — in Jerusalem. He will then travel to Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will co-host a summit of more than 20 world leaders to rally support for Trump’s 20-point peace plan, unveiled in late September, which he claims has “ended the Gaza war” and could serve as the basis for a broader regional peace framework.
“Everybody’s very excited about this moment in time. This is a very special event,” Trump said earlier at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, where he departed under light rain.
Accompanying the US president on the trip are several top officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine — a team Trump described as “the strongest peace team ever assembled.”
Uncertain Road Ahead
Despite Trump’s optimism, serious doubts remain about the next phases of the agreement, particularly Hamas’s refusal to disarm and Israel’s lack of commitment to a full withdrawal from Gaza. These unresolved issues could quickly reignite tensions.
Trump insisted, however, that he had secured “guarantees” from both sides and from other regional players.
“We have a lot of verbal guarantees, and I don’t think they’re going to want to disappoint me,” he told reporters.
The US leader also downplayed speculation about strained relations with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, saying:
“My relationship with Bibi is very good. We had some disputes, and they were quickly settled.”
Trump said he hopes to visit Gaza personally in the near future — though he acknowledged that security conditions would need to improve significantly first.
“I would be proud to,” he said. “I’d like to put my feet on it at least.”
The president also hinted at the rapid creation of a new governing body for Gaza, which would oversee reconstruction and stability in the war-ravaged enclave — and which Trump himself would lead under his plan.
However, he appeared to walk back earlier suggestions that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair might play a key role in the initiative.
“I’ve always liked Tony,” Trump said, “but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody.”
As Trump begins his whirlwind Middle East tour, his administration is keen to frame the trip as both a peace mission and a political triumph — one that demonstrates American influence and Trump’s self-proclaimed skill at “making peace.” Yet, beneath the ceremony and symbolism, many regional observers caution that lasting peace in Gaza remains far from guaranteed.
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