‘A historic dawn of a new Middle East’: Trump travels to Israel, Egypt for hostage release and ceasefire deal

President Donald Trump arrived in the Middle East for a whirlwind trip to meet with hostage families and participate in a peace ceremony on Monday, as the world celebrates a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. 

Trump departed the White House on Sunday and arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel, early Monday morning to meet with hostage families and deliver remarks to the Knesset, Israel’s legislature. Just over two years since the October 7 massacre carried out by Hamas, the peace deal marks a monumental moment for peace in the troubled region, which Trump called Monday a “historic dawn of a new Middle East.” 

“The war is over,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Israel, noting that the rebuilding process in war-torn Gaza will start “immediately.” The deal marks “the first chance it’s had in centuries of being peaceful.” Trump also expressed confidence that the deal will hold for “a lot of reasons,” including that “people are tired of it.” 

The truce saw the release of the remaining 20 living hostages held by Hamas for more than two years in captivity, as well as the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who was key in helping negotiate the deal, said it was “deeply gratifying to know that so many families will finally have their loved ones home.”  

“Today, twenty families are spared the unbearable pain of not knowing if they will ever see their loved ones again,” he wrote on X. “But even in this moment of relief and happiness, my heart aches for those whose loved ones will not return alive. Bringing their bodies home is a must and an act of dignity and honors their memory forever.” 

Trump, in his remarks at the Knesset, touted the calm skies and the sun rising “on a Holy Land that is finally at peace” after unceasing war and violence. 

“Generations from now, this will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change,” he said. 

Trump seized the opportunity to fight for long-term peace in the region, saying Israel “has won all that can be won by force of arms.” 

“Now, it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East,” he said.  

Following his remarks in Israel, Trump headed to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for the peace ceremony and deal signing, where he was joined by more than 20 world leaders, including those from France, Germany and the United Kingdom. 

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Trump for his efforts, which he said will save millions of lives in the Middle East. 

“Mr. President, I would like to salute you for your exemplary leadership, visionary leadership, and I think that you’re the man the world needed most at this point in time,” he said to Trump. The “world will always remember you as a man who did everything, went out of the way, to stop seven, and today, eight, wars.”  

Trump told the leaders gathered in Egypt that Monday is the day the world has been “working, striving, hoping, and praying for.”  

“Together, we have achieved the impossible. At long last, we have peace in the Middle East,” he said. “The momentous breakthrough we are here to celebrate tonight is MORE than the end of the war in Gaza – with God’s help, it will be a new beginning for the entire Middle East. From this moment forward, we can build a region that is strong, stable, prosperous, and united in rejecting the path of terror once and for all.” 

Trump departed Egypt Monday night local time and is expected to arrive back at the White House around midnight Eastern on Tuesday. 

Image credit: Yoan Valat, Pool photo via AP (licensed)