Trump Announces Plan to Attend Gaza Ceasefire Signing in Egypt as Hostage Release Expected

United States President Donald Trump announced his intention to visit Egypt for the signing ceremony of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, mentioning that he expects Hamas to release hostages early in the following week.

During Thursday's cabinet meeting, Trump declared that the agreement between Israel and Hamas had effectively "ended the war in Gaza" and would contribute to broader peace initiatives in the Middle East region.

"We secured the release of all of the remaining hostages, and they should be released on Monday or Tuesday," Trump stated to his cabinet secretaries gathered at the White House.

Trump acknowledged that while hostages would be released, the remains of some deceased captives would be "hard to find."

The President had previously indicated plans to travel to the Middle East before unveiling the first phase of the peace deal on Wednesday, and now confirmed arrangements were being coordinated for a potential visit to Egypt.

"I'm going to try and make a trip over. We're going to try and get over there, and we're working on the timing, the exact timing," Trump explained on Thursday.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi extended an invitation to Trump to participate in a "celebration to be held in Egypt" marking the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.

In addition to Egypt, Trump mentioned plans to visit Israel, noting that he had received an invitation to address the Israeli parliament.

"They asked me to speak at the Knesset and... I've agreed to, if they would like me to, I will do it," Trump responded to a reporter's question.

Trump incorrectly claimed he would be the first president to address the Knesset. According to the Knesset website, previous US presidents including George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter have already addressed the Israeli parliament.

Regarding the second phase of the peace deal and Gaza's future, Trump provided limited details but mentioned "there will be disarming, there will be pullbacks," apparently referencing Israel's demands for Hamas to disarm and the militant group's calls for Israeli forces to withdraw.

He indicated that Gaza would be "slowly redone" with financial assistance from wealthy Arab states that could help rebuild the territory and potentially participate in peacekeeping operations.

Trump did not comment on speculation about his prospects for winning the Nobel Peace Prize, a long-held ambition.

Cabinet officials, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, praised Trump's accomplishment. Rubio, who had informed the President about the imminent deal on Wednesday, stated, "Frankly, I don't know of any American president in the modern era that could have made this possible."

Rubio also alluded to the challenging negotiations behind the agreement, which involved Trump pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu while simultaneously encouraging Arab and Muslim nations to influence Hamas.

"One day, perhaps the entire story will be told," Rubio remarked. "The president had some extraordinary phone calls and meetings that required a high degree of intensity and commitment and made this happen."