Trump to be lauded in Israel as long-held hostages return home

Trump to be lauded in Israel as long-held hostages return home
Trump holds an umbrella at Joint Base Andrews before flying to Israel on Oct 12, 2025.
Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump will receive a hero's welcome in Israel's parliament on Monday as a fragile Gaza ceasefire he helped to broker enters a fourth day, with the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners marking tentative steps in a conflict long resistant to resolution.

"The war is over," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he began his flight from Washington to Israel. Asked about prospects for the region, he said: "I think it's going to normalise."

The UN said humanitarian aid was ramping up, with cooking gas entering for the first time since March and expanded food and medical deliveries.

Progress toward a lasting peace now hinges on global commitments to implement the ceasefire and post-war reconstruction, to be discussed at Monday’s summit of more than 20 world leaders led by Trump in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh resort.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will attend the summit in Egypt, an Axios reporter said on Sunday, citing a senior Palestinian official.

No Israeli officials will attend.

Israel expects the remaining hostages to begin returning early on 13 October, with 20 survivors to be released together, followed by the handover of 28 others — 26 dead and two whose fate is unknown.

Israel’s Justice Ministry named 250 Palestinians set for release, excluding top Hamas leaders like Marwan Barghouti and Ahmed Saadat, key demands from Hamas.

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