President Trump to visit Middle East amid US-mediated ceasefire
President Trump plans to visit the Middle East to address the Israeli parliament, meet with hostage families, and lead a peace summit in Egypt as a U.S.-mediated ceasefire unfolds.
Updated: 8:31 AM EDT Oct 12, 2025
President Donald Trump is set to travel to the Middle East on Sunday as a U.S.-mediated ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas continues to unfold.On Monday, Trump is expected to address Israel’s parliament, meet with hostage families, and lead a peace summit in Egypt, according to a schedule released by the White House. The visit is expected to coincide with a long-awaited hostage release. The remaining living hostages are expected to be freed on Monday, just over two years after they were captured by Hamas. The remains of deceased hostages may take longer to return. In exchange, Israel is expected to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom were never charged with a crime, though the timing of this step was not immediately clear. Meanwhile, Israeli troops are beginning to withdraw from parts of Gaza. Palestinians are returning to what remains of their homes, most of which have been reduced to rubble. Approximately 200 U.S. troops have arrived in Israel to monitor the ceasefire, although the Pentagon says no American boots will be on the ground inside Gaza. The troops are expected to provide security assistance and facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid.Israeli officials expect to allow aid deliveries into Gaza to increase to around 600 trucks per day on Sunday, amid the ongoing hunger crisis. Trump said Friday he expects the deal will hold up. “I think they’re all tired of fighting,” Trump said. “Gaza is very important, but this is beyond Gaza. This is peace in the Middle East, and it is a beautiful thing.”It remains to be seen if peace will endure, particularly after the first phase of the ceasefire. World leaders continue to grapple with complicated questions about the future governance of Gaza.
President Donald Trump is set to travel to the Middle East on Sunday as a U.S.-mediated ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas continues to unfold.
On Monday, Trump is expected to address Israel’s parliament, meet with hostage families, and lead a peace summit in Egypt, according to a schedule released by the White House.
The visit is expected to coincide with a long-awaited hostage release. The remaining living hostages are expected to be freed on Monday, just over two years after they were captured by Hamas. The remains of deceased hostages may take longer to return.
In exchange, Israel is expected to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom were never charged with a crime, though the timing of this step was not immediately clear.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops are beginning to withdraw from parts of Gaza. Palestinians are returning to what remains of their homes, most of which have been reduced to rubble.
Approximately 200 U.S. troops have arrived in Israel to monitor the ceasefire, although the Pentagon says no American boots will be on the ground inside Gaza. The troops are expected to provide security assistance and facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid.
Israeli officials expect to allow aid deliveries into Gaza to increase to around 600 trucks per day on Sunday, amid the ongoing hunger crisis.
Trump said Friday he expects the deal will hold up.
“I think they’re all tired of fighting,” Trump said. “Gaza is very important, but this is beyond Gaza. This is peace in the Middle East, and it is a beautiful thing.”
It remains to be seen if peace will endure, particularly after the first phase of the ceasefire. World leaders continue to grapple with complicated questions about the future governance of Gaza.