Trump to Visit Middle East on Sunday after Gaza Ceasefire Agreement

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will travel to the Middle East on Sunday after what he described as successful negotiations on the first phase of a Gaza peace plan, which includes a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages.

“The hostages will be coming back Monday or Tuesday. I’ll probably be there. I hope to be there. And we’re planning on leaving sometime Sunday, and I look forward to it,” President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The White House has yet to release the full itinerary of the president’s visit.

On Thursday, Israel and Hamas signed an agreement marking the first phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan aimed at ending the two-year war in Gaza. This agreement was reached after indirect negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

The agreement stipulates that Hamas will release the remaining Israeli hostages it holds in Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel. Trump announced that the hostages are expected to be released as early as October 13. 

The agreement outlines a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza to a designated line during the initial phase. Large fleets of trucks loaded with food and medical supplies are anticipated to enter Gaza to address the humanitarian crisis, which includes famine conditions in certain areas. The UN has prioritized increasing aid deliveries, aiming to dispatch hundreds of trucks daily.

The Gaza war started on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and the abduction of 251 individuals.

Over the next two years, Israel undertook extensive military operations in the Gaza Strip, intending to dismantle Hamas.