WASHINGTON – Donald Trump has told the families of Israeli hostages, their loved ones will be returning home on Monday after Israel and Hamas agreed to phase one of a peace deal.
The US president announced late last night that the two sides will pause fighting and release at least some of the hostages and prisoners.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “All of the hostages will be released very soon and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace.”
Qatar, which helped broker the deal along with Egypt and Turkey, said it was the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the news as a ‘moment of profound relief that will be felt around the world’.
Under Trump’s deal, Hamas plans to release all 20 remaining hostages in exchange for roughly 2 000 Palestinian prisoners. Meanwhile, the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.
Last night, the US president spoke to the families of those held captive by the terror organisation during a phone call with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
With Trump on speakerphone, Lutnick asked the families: “You have the best crowd in the world, what do you have to say to President Trump?” The entire group of about a dozen people responded: “Thank you!”
“Thank you very much everybody,” responded Trump, as one of the family members exclaimed: “You did it!”
Another family member told Trump: “President, we believe in you. We know you’ve done so much for us since you became the president and even before that and we trust you’ll fulfill the mission until every hostage, every 48 of them, are home.”
He thanked Trump again before repeating the president’s own line from the deal announcement back to him: “Blessed be the peacemakers.”
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