Donald Trump arrives in Tel Aviv as hostage release begins

US President Donald Trump arrived in Israel aboard Air Force One on Monday, as the first group of Israeli hostages returned home from Gaza after two years in captivity.

He was welcomed on a red carpet at Ben Gurion Airport by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the conflict between Israel and Hamas had ended and expressed confidence that the ceasefire would hold, saying that “people are tired of it” after centuries of unrest.

During his visit, Trump will meet families of hostages held by Hamas and address the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem. He will then travel to Egypt to co-host a summit with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, bringing together more than 20 world leaders to support his peace plan for the region. The quick visit is being seen as a celebration of the Gaza ceasefire deal that Trump helped broker through his 20-point peace plan announced in late September.

Key US officials accompanying him include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and top military officer Dan Caine. Trump said he has received strong assurances from both Israel and Hamas regarding the ceasefire and future stages of the agreement.

However, challenges remain, particularly over Hamas’s refusal to disarm and Israel’s hesitation to commit to a complete withdrawal from Gaza. Trump said he had “verbal guarantees” from all sides and believed they would honor them. He also revealed plans for a new governing body in Gaza to be formed soon under his proposed peace framework. Trump mentioned that he might visit Gaza in the future and added that any involvement of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair would depend on acceptance from regional stakeholders.