Trump to Visit Israel and Egypt to Celebrate Peace Deal, Brace Nation for Hostage Return
President Donald Trump is preparing for a high-stakes trip to Israel and Egypt Sunday night, where he will take part in a historic celebration of the recently brokered Middle East peace deal — while also preparing Americans and Israelis alike for the emotional toll of recovering hostages, both living and dead.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump hailed the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas as a potential turning point for the region. “Hopefully you’re going to have great success — or I call it everlasting success,” he said, referring to the new arrangement that marks the official end of the two-year war triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 massacre.
But alongside the optimism, Trump delivered a somber update: the recovery of hostages held by Hamas is underway, and includes the discovery of 28 bodies.
“They’re getting them now,” Trump explained. “They’re in some pretty rough places under earth. They’re in some pretty rough places where only a few people know where they are. And some of those bodies are being unearthed right now as we speak.”
Hostage Deal and Ceasefire Terms
Under the terms of the deal, about 20 surviving hostages are expected to be released as early as Sunday night or Monday, possibly even before Trump lands. An additional 28 bodies will be returned to Israel. In exchange, Israel has agreed to release 250 Palestinian prisoners and halt combat operations as the IDF withdraws to a new ceasefire line, now giving Israel control of 53% of Gaza.
The ceasefire officially went into effect at noon Friday.
Diplomatic Plans
Trump will land in Israel Sunday night, where he is expected to be greeted with a formal ceremony at Ben Gurion Airport. He will also address the Israeli Knesset in what’s expected to be a major foreign policy speech — and receive a hero’s welcome from many Israelis, especially families of hostages who credit Trump’s administration with brokering the deal.
Following that, he will fly to Cairo to attend a summit hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. There, leaders from across the Arab world will formalize the agreement and begin discussions on post-war reconstruction.
Trump said he plans to establish a new “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s transitional government, and emphasized that rebuilding Gaza will be a top priority — but that it should be funded by wealthy regional allies.
“Gaza is going to be rebuilt,” Trump said. “And you have some very wealthy countries … over there. And it would take a small fraction of their wealth to do that.”
A Historic Pivot in the Middle East
The trip marks the first time in modern history that a sitting U.S. president has chaired an Arab-Israeli peace summit following a major conflict. Trump’s direct involvement in the ceasefire process — and his coordination with Egypt, Qatar, and Israel — has drawn comparisons to the Camp David Accords and Oslo.
Though the final details of Trump’s itinerary are still being worked out, White House aides say he is expected to return to Washington by Monday evening.
For now, the world watches as Trump attempts to lock in what could be one of the most consequential foreign policy victories of his presidency — even as the emotional return of hostages brings with it the deep scars of war.