‘I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones,’ Trump said.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal that includes the release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, according to President-elect Donald Trump.
“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!” Trump posted on his TruthSocial social media account on Jan. 15.
Trump called the deal an “EPIC ceasefire agreement.”
This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.
With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World!
We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. Just imagine all of the wonderful things that will happen when I return to the White House, and my Administration is fully confirmed, so they can secure more Victories for the United States! Read Original TruthSocial Post
“I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.”
The deal if consummated will mark a way out of a war that has lasted more than 15 months so far. It would mark a halt to the relentless violence that began with Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israeli communities and military bases near the Gaza border.
Thousands of terrorists penetrated Israel’s border defenses that day, in some cases paragliding over them. They killed 1,200 people, mostly Jewish civilians but also non-Jewish Israelis and foreign farmworkers. The attackers outmatched troops at bases that were lightly manned on a Saturday that was both the Sabbath and a Jewish holiday.
The terrorists heavily damaged certain communities such as the Kfar Aza and Be’eri kibbutzes, murdering entire families, raping, setting buildings on fire, beheading people, setting bodies on fire, and even killing family dogs. They killed more than 300 attendees at the Nova music festival—an event promoting peace and love at a site near the border. They took 250 hostages and wounded thousands.
The IDF immediately began mobilizing for a counterattack. Ground operations began on Oct. 13, 2023, with a full-scale invasion on Oct. 27.
This is a developing story. Updates will follow.
