Trump Celebrates Release of Hostages Amid Ceasefire Agreement

In Washington, President Trump expressed his satisfaction over the imminent return of 20 Israeli hostages, following the successful negotiation of a significant ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

“The main goal is to bring the hostages home, and that’s what really matters to the people,” Trump stated during a Cabinet meeting, noting plans for his trip to Egypt this Sunday for a signing ceremony that would lead to a “great day of celebration” in front of the Israeli parliament.

He described this diplomatic win as noteworthy, saying, “We’ll have to wait and see, but I believe they’ve agreed on some things and it should proceed fairly smoothly.”

Members of Trump’s advisory team praised him, attributing the cessation of the two-year violence that erupted after Hamas’s unexpected attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, to his leadership.

“We will soon witness 20 living individuals step out of darkness into light for the first time in two years,” stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who mentioned that many of Trump’s behind-the-scenes efforts toward this agreement may never be fully revealed.

Rubio added that the nation should take pride in having a president devoted to peace and human unity.

Vice President J.D. Vance highlighted the contributions of Trump’s close ally Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, noting that they managed to forge an initial agreement in Egypt despite considerable media doubt.

However, when asked to clarify the next stage of negotiations, Trump responded, “I won’t discuss specifics, but you all know what phase two involves. There will be disarmament, withdrawals, and much more.”

Trump’s 20-point peace proposal, which Hamas tentatively accepted on October 3, outlines the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from urban Gaza and calls for “Arab and international partners to set up an interim International Stabilization Force (ISF) for immediate deployment to Gaza.”

He mentioned that the specifics of the international deployment would be determined later.

“I provided a comprehensive list of actions. A lot of developments are expected, and I believe they will happen. This is all part of achieving peace in the Middle East,” Trump noted regarding the second phase of the plan.

The president reiterated that the immediate focus is on the hostages, yet emphasized that additional actions would follow.

The plan also states that “no one will be forced to leave Gaza,” and those who choose to depart will have the freedom to return as well.

He repeated this commitment at a joint event with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

Earlier in the year, Trump had proposed relocating Gaza’s residents to make room for what he called a U.S.-owned “Riviera of the Middle East,” but the current peace initiative advocates creating a “special economic zone” in Gaza with an interim government supervised by a peace commission led by Trump himself.

According to the president, the future of Gaza will be bolstered by its affluent Arab neighbors, who are expected to fund substantial economic development projects for the approximately 2 million residents there.

Trump said, “We’re going to collaborate with wealthy nations that genuinely care for their people. I know these countries well, and their affection extends beyond just their own people; it’s universal at this point.”

He continued, noting that these wealthy nations will contribute significantly to the funding required, which for them, is just a small expenditure.

Turning to foreign policy, Trump highlighted the importance of a June 21 airstrike against Iran’s nuclear ambitions, considering that Iran’s association with Hamas could have jeopardized peace negotiations.

“Iran has expressed a desire to pursue peace and confirmed their full support of this deal,” Trump explained. “We’ve implemented extensive sanctions against Iran and others, but we also want to help them rebuild.”

As the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize winners neared, Trump promoted the Gaza plan.

He expressed uncertainty about the award, stating, “Whatever they decide is fine by me. But I didn’t do this for recognition; it was about saving lives.”