The War Is Over! US President Donald Trump's Big Statement Ahead Of Israel Visit For Gaza Peace Mission

US President Donald Trump has declared "the war is over" while en route to Israel, where he is expected to oversee the release of hostages from Gaza under a newly brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump expressed optimism that the fragile truce would hold, unveiling plans for a "Board of Peace" to help rebuild Gaza - which he described as a "demolition site ready to rise again."

Trump praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatar's mediation efforts, calling the ceasefire a "turning point for peace." The agreement, part of a 20-point plan designed by Washington, represents the first real pause in fighting since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel's military offensive has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Under the first phase of the peace deal, Hamas is to release all remaining hostages, including the bodies of at least 28 deceased individuals. In exchange, Israel will free approximately 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees from Gaza. Humanitarian aid has begun flowing back into the enclave, though UN officials warn the deliveries - only a few dozen trucks so far - fall far short of the 600 trucks a day needed to address Gaza's worsening crisis.

After visiting Israel, Trump will travel to Egypt for a global peace summit involving over 20 nations, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The gathering is expected to produce a joint declaration formally ending hostilities.

In Israel, massive crowds gathered in Tel Aviv to thank Trump, waving American flags and chanting "Peacemaker!" But despite celebrations, major questions remain: who will govern Gaza, when Israeli troops will withdraw, and how Hamas's disarmament will be enforced.

Asked if he believed peace would last, Trump replied confidently, "It will - because everybody's happy."

For now, Gaza's skies are quiet, its people cautious. Yet after years of devastation, even the faint hope of peace feels like a miracle waiting to happen.