U.S. President Donald Trump has declared the war in Gaza is over as he travels to the Middle East to witness the release of hostages held by Hamas and to co-chair a pivotal peace summit in Egypt. “The war is over,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “The war is over. You understand that?” He expressed confidence the ceasefire would hold, stating, “I think people are tired”.

The declaration comes as Israel and Hamas are set to execute a major exchange, with 20 living Israeli hostages expected to be freed in return for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees . Israel also anticipates the return of the remains of deceased hostages . Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a more cautious tone, warning that “the campaign is not over” and that “there are still very big security challenges ahead of us”.

President Trump’s itinerary includes a meeting with hostage families and an address to the Israeli Knesset before he joins world leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for a “Summit for Peace” co-hosted with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi . The summit aims to secure a formal document ending the war and discuss the complicated path forward, including the future governance of Gaza . Leaders from more than twenty countries, including the UK, France, Germany, and Indonesia, are attending, though Iranian officials declined their invitation.

The hostage release, part of a ceasefire that took effect on Friday, has sparked a mix of anticipation and anxiety in Israel. Families of the captives gathered at a military base and in Tel Aviv’s “Hostages Square” to await the return of their loved ones . In Gaza, the ceasefire has allowed a significant scale-up of humanitarian aid, with convoys of trucks carrying food, medicine, and shelter items entering the territory . The United Nations estimates 600 aid trucks are needed daily to address the humanitarian crisis, with famine having been declared in parts of the north.

The war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw roughly 250 taken hostage . Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and has left large swathes of the territory in ruins .