President Donald Trump is set to leave the White House on Sunday afternoon for a significant visit to Israel. The trip, which includes a speech in Congress, will also take him to Egypt for a peace ceremony following the groundbreaking peace deal he facilitated between Israel and Hamas.
Trump’s departure is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, and he’ll arrive in Tel Aviv by Monday morning local time. He plans to meet with families of hostages and address Congress at 11 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET).
After addressing Congress, Trump will continue his journey to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday afternoon to participate in a “Middle East Peace Ceremony.” He is expected to return to the White House shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
In a surprising announcement on Wednesday via Truth Social, Trump revealed that both Israel and Hamas have agreed to the initial phase of a broader peace proposal. This revelation followed a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, highlighting the progress towards a deal during a discussion with independent journalists about antifa.
The memo suggested urgency: “Very close. We need you to approve your post on Truth Social immediately so we can be the first to announce the deal,” as was shared by Evan Vucci, AP’s chief Washington photographer.
The agreement stipulates that Hamas will release all remaining Israeli hostages, both alive and deceased. Reports suggest that 20 hostages are still alive, while Trump indicated that 28 may no longer be living.
“We’re taking them home, we’re taking them back, we’re getting everything. And to those parents, the dead young person is just as important as if… this person was alive. It’s amazing,” he remarked.
Trump’s efforts have drawn recognition from a broad spectrum of political figures and global leaders. Representative Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) noted on Thursday that the economic and military agreements require careful examination, but if everything pans out, it could mark a significant legacy for Trump and his administration.
President Alexander Stubu of Finland also commended Trump’s recent achievements during their meeting in the Oval Office, stating, “I want to congratulate you on what we’ve seen in the last 24 hours in Gaza. I think this is a historic agreement. I broke 20 points, almost like a record high.”
