Trump Predicts Gaza Hostages Will Be Returned on Monday

US President Donald Trump expressed confidence that all hostages held in Gaza, including the bodies of those deceased, will be returned on Monday, following an agreement between Israel and Hamas to implement a ceasefire.

In a phone interview on Fox News late Wednesday, Trump said: “So much is happening to get the hostages freed, and we think they’ll all be coming back on Monday, so it looks like that’s the thing, and that’ll include the bodies of the dead.”

The comments came hours after Trump announced his 20-point peace plan, aimed at ending over two years of brutal conflict that left Gaza in ruins and precipitated a major humanitarian crisis.

Key Components of the Agreement

Trump emphasised that the deal could have broader regional implications, potentially involving Iran, a longstanding adversary of both Israel and the United States.

“This is more than Gaza, this is peace in the Middle East,” he said. “Iran is going to be actually a part of the whole peace situation.”

He described the global response to the agreement as overwhelmingly supportive: “The world has come together around this deal. It’s great for Israel, so great for Muslims, for the Arab countries, and so great for this country.”

Trump reiterated his vision for Gaza as a reconstructed and prosperous region along the Mediterranean, contingent on the easing of regional tensions. He suggested that other wealthy countries in the region would contribute to rebuilding the enclave.

“Gaza is going to be a place that reconstructs, and other countries in the area will help it reconstruct, because they have tremendous amounts of wealth, and they want to see that happen,” Trump said.
“And we’ll be involved in helping them make it successful and helping it stay peaceful.”

The US President’s statements underscore Washington’s intent to play a central role in stabilising Gaza and facilitating a longer-term peace settlement in the Middle East.