Trump anticipates the release of Israeli hostages on Monday.

Trump Expects Hostage Release from Gaza Monday

Former President Trump expressed optimism that remaining hostages in Gaza will be released on Monday as part of the initial phase of his 20-point peace initiative.

“The key point is that the hostages should be released, presumably by Monday,” he mentioned in a late Wednesday phone conversation with Sean Hannity on Fox News. “But, it’s… a really dire situation,” he added.

Discussing the conditions of the hostages, Trump noted on October 7, 2023, “They’re being held deep underground, and there’s a lot happening right now to secure their freedom.”

“There’s a lot going on to release the hostages, and I believe everyone will be back by Monday,” he stated.

The former president announced that a ceasefire has been established between Israel and Hamas following their agreement on the first phase of the peace proposal introduced the previous month. This agreement marks a crucial pause in hostilities, occurring over two years after the extremist group’s initial assault, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli fatalities and the taking of more than 250 hostages.

During his segment with “Hannity,” Trump mentioned that the hostage arrangement entails the return of 20 surviving hostages, along with the remains of 28 individuals still in Hamas’s possession.

Trump also met with families of the hostages who were in a gathering with Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in Washington on Wednesday evening. The families expressed their gratitude toward Trump for his role in securing the agreement.

“Thank you. Just please take care of yourself,” he told them via speakerphone while Lutnick wason the call. “The hostages will be back. They’ll all be back on Monday.”

This agreement comes as Trump intensified diplomatic attempts to bring an end to the conflict. He was notably frustrated by Israel’s recent military actions against Hamas officials in Qatar, which occurred without U.S. consultation.

Under pressure from Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu concurred with the 20-point plan aimed at resolving the conflict, while Trump also engaged a coalition of leaders from Arab and Muslim-majority nations to encourage Palestinian factions to accept the deal.

In his chat with Hannity, Trump shared that he had spoken with Netanyahu earlier that evening, describing their conversation as a “beautiful picture” that could positively alter Israel’s image.

“It’s great for Israel. I spoke to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. He said, ‘I can’t believe it,’” Trump recounted, adding, “Now everyone likes me,” referring to Netanyahu. He emphasized, “More importantly, people are beginning to appreciate Israel again,” showing a shift in sentiment.

He continued, “I told Bibi that Israel can’t take on the world alone, and he gets that.”

“The way everything fell into place is remarkable. It’s a beautiful picture. I don’t know if it will happen again; it’s just a sequence of events,” Trump observed, noting a mix of skilled negotiation and perhaps a bit of luck in how things unfolded.