Trump Arrives in Israel, Confirms “The War Is Over” Ahead of Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit

Following the landmark ceasefire and hostage exchange deal between Hamas and Israel, U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Tel Aviv early Monday, declaring, “The war is over.”

Trump Lands in Israel: “The War Is Over”

Trump was greeted on the tarmac by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before heading to a series of meetings that include a gathering with families of released hostages and an address to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.

Later today, Trump will travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to co-chair the Peace Summit alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The summit will bring together more than 20 world leaders — including Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II — to give the Gaza peace framework its final form.

First Hostages Freed Under Gaza Truce

The Israeli government confirmed that the first seven hostages released by Hamas have been handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and are now safely in Israeli custody.

Hamas had pledged to release 20 surviving hostages as part of the first phase of the exchange deal, with seven released so far. Their medical conditions have not yet been disclosed.

Under the terms of the agreement, Israel will release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in return.

Across Israel, thousands gathered in public squares and synagogues to watch the emotional moment live on giant screens as the ICRC confirmed the transfer.

The Red Cross stated that it has launched a “multi-phase operation” to oversee both the release of hostages in Gaza and the transfer of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

Diplomatic Pressure on Hamas to Disarm

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told Deutschlandfunk Radio that several countries — including Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye — are pressuring Hamas to disarm as part of broader peace efforts.

“None of these countries want Hamas to continue its activities. They want disarmament, and that’s why we have a strong plan of pressure. Without it, this process wouldn’t work,” Wadephul said.

World Leaders Gather for Historic Summit

The Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit, co-chaired by Trump and Sisi, is expected to begin later today after the completion of the hostage transfer phase.

The meeting will be attended by a wide range of global leaders, including:

President Erdoğan (Türkiye), President Macron (France), Prime Minister Keir Starmer (UK), Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (Spain), Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (Italy), Prime Minister Mark Carney (Canada), King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (Bahrain), Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif (Pakistan) and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also expected to participate. However, neither Israel nor Hamas will be directly represented at the summit, and Iran declined its invitation.

According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the meeting — described as “historic” — aims to produce “a document formally ending the war in Gaza.”

Diplomatic sources told AFP that the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and possibly Türkiye will sign a guarantee agreement ensuring the implementation of the peace terms.

A New Phase for the Middle East

Trump’s visit to Israel marks the beginning of what the White House has described as a “new chapter for the Middle East.”

Following his address at the Knesset, Trump is expected to meet released hostages and their families, before departing for Egypt at 1 p.m. local time.

The Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit will conclude with the signing of a Gaza peace accord, setting the stage for the next phase of reconstruction and normalization in the region.