Trump Declares Gaza War ‘Over’ As Israel Prepares For Hostage Release And Regional Peace Talks

US President Donald Trump said the war in Gaza “is over” and predicted regional normalisation as he departed Washington DC for Israel on Sunday, where officials were awaiting the release of hostages under a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, The Guardian reported.

“The war is over, you understand that,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One before his flight to Israel. He added, “I think it’s going to normalise,” referring to relations across the Middle East.

According to The Guardian, the ceasefire in Gaza held for a third consecutive day on Sunday, as world leaders prepared to meet in Israel and Egypt to discuss the next steps toward a lasting peace. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a televised statement, “Tomorrow is the beginning of a new path. A path of building, a path of healing, and I hope – a path of uniting hearts.”

The truce has allowed thousands of Palestinians to travel north towards Gaza City, which had been the centre of Israeli military operations over the past two months. Many expressed cautious relief. “There is a lot of joy among the people,” Gaza resident Abdou Abu Seada told The Guardian, though he noted that the mood remained subdued after two years of conflict that have devastated the territory.

Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said hostages were expected to begin being released early on Monday morning. She confirmed that 20 surviving hostages would be freed together, followed later by the handover of the bodies of 28 deceased captives. Under the agreement, Hamas is required by noon on Monday to release all remaining hostages, who were abducted on 7 October 2023 when the group launched its surprise attack on Israel.

In exchange, Israel will release 1,700 Palestinians detained in Gaza since the start of the war, along with 22 minors and the bodies of 360 militants, The Guardian reported. Bedrosian said the prisoner releases would occur once the living hostages were safely returned to Israeli territory.

Israel’s hostages coordinator, Gal Hirsch, said a special taskforce would be created to locate the remains of any hostages Hamas was unable to find.

Trump is scheduled to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, on Monday before travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt for a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza conflict. Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, is also due to attend the summit, The Guardian noted, citing Axios.

Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner addressed a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday, which demonstrators hoped would be the last of its kind calling for the release of hostages. “For two years we [have been] waiting for this day for this moment ... All of us feel happy for the family, for the hostages, that finally ... we will see them,” said protester Dalia Yosef, who thanked Trump for his efforts.

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said that once the hostages are returned, the military would focus on destroying Hamas’s underground tunnel network in Gaza. Palestinians returning north have reported widespread devastation, with rescue workers warning of unexploded ordnance and bombs in the area.

Amjad al-Shawa, head of a Palestinian organisation coordinating with aid agencies, estimated that 300,000 tents would be needed to temporarily shelter the 1.5 million displaced residents of Gaza.

Rami Mohammad-Ali, a 37-year-old resident, told The Guardian by phone that he and his son walked 15 kilometres from Deir al-Balah to Gaza City. “We are joyful to return to Gaza [City] but at the same time we have bitter feelings about the destruction,” he said. “We couldn’t believe the destruction we have seen,” he added, describing human remains still visible along the roads.

As the ceasefire continued and preparations for the hostage exchange advanced, officials and civilians alike expressed hope that the current truce could mark the beginning of a broader effort to rebuild Gaza and stabilise the region.

(With inputs from The Guardian)