Donald Trump departs for Israel for release of war hostages: ‘A very special time’

US President Donald Trump.

US President Donald Trump, who traveled to Israel on Sunday, described the trip as “a very special time” and described it as a moment of excitement and unity. “This is going to be a very special time… Everyone is very excited for this moment,” Trump said before boarding his plane. He described the visit as a remarkable occasion, stating, “This is a very special event… Everybody’s cheering at one time. That’s never happened before. Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isn’t. The other is the opposite.”

“Everyone is amazed and excited for the first time, and it’s an honor to be involved,” Trump said, reflecting a rare sense of collective enthusiasm. “We’re going to have a great time and it’s going to be something that’s never happened before,” he said. The president will arrive in Tel Aviv early Monday morning local time. His tightly scheduled visit, which he describes as “a very special time,” includes a private meeting with the hostages’ families in the Knesset, followed by a public address to Israeli lawmakers.

This marks Trump’s first visit to Israel since announcing the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The trip coincides with the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza Peace Plan and underlines its importance to ongoing peace efforts. Following his talks with Israel, Trump will go to Egypt, which hosts negotiations between Israel and Hamas, after announcing the 21-item Gaza Peace Plan, which includes the disarmament of the Hamas group. The focus of his visit will be a peace ceremony to be held in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday afternoon. Trump had previously announced plans to travel to Egypt for the official signing of the ceasefire agreement, but specific details about the agreement have not yet been announced in the official schedule.

According to his itinerary, the President will spend less than seven hours in Israel before heading to Egypt, where he is expected to stay for about three hours before beginning his return trip to Washington. The visit followed the launch of the first phase of the Israel-Gaza agreement, where 200 US troops reportedly arrived to establish a coordination centre. Trump’s decision to address the Knesset underscores the importance Washington places on its partnership with Jerusalem at this critical stage of the peace process.

The meeting with the hostage families, which is planned to be held closed to the press, is expected to be among the most sensitive moments of the visit. The president will return to the White House shortly after midnight Tuesday. The trip marks Trump’s latest involvement in Middle East diplomacy, following his visit to the Gulf states earlier this year. The compressed timeline reflects the urgency shared by Washington and regional capitals to reach a comprehensive peace agreement. Officials did not provide additional information about participation in the Sharm el-Sheikh ceremony or specific agreements that might be formalized during the event.

(Except for the title, this news has not been edited by the DNA team and is published from ANI news agency).