WASHINGTON D.C., 13 October (H.S.): United States President Donald Trump declared the war in Gaza over on Sunday as he departed for a high-stakes diplomatic mission to the Middle East, a trip designed to cement a landmark ceasefire and oversee the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas for over two years.The President is scheduled to first land in Israel, where he will deliver a historic address to the Knesset, the nation’s parliament.
Following his visit, he will travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to co-host a major peace summit with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, which will be attended by leaders from more than 20 countries.The war is over. Okay? You understand that? Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One before his departure.
Everybody’s very excited about this moment in time. This is a very special event.President Trump is leading a high-level American delegation that includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. When asked if the ceasefire would hold, Trump expressed confidence, stating, I think [the ceasefire] is going to hold… I think people are tired.
The visit follows a U.S.-brokered agreement that marks the first phase of a potential end to the conflict, which began with Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023 . This initial stage includes the release of 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and the facilitation of extensive humanitarian aid into the devastated Gaza Strip.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a victory on Sunday as the nation awaited the emotional return of its citizens. This is an emotional evening, an evening of tears, an evening of joy, because tomorrow our children will return to our borders, Netanyahu said. However, he also cautioned that the mission was not complete, adding, the fight is not over.
This sentiment was echoed by
his defense minister, who confirmed that Israel’s military intends to destroy Hamas’s tunnel network in Gaza after the hostages are safely returned.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
