Trump to address Israel’s Knesset, then co-lead Egypt summit as ceasefire’s first phase unfolds
President Trump will visit Israel to address the Knesset and then travel to Sharm el‑Sheikh to co‑lead an international summit with Egyptian President el‑Sisi, joined by more than 20 world leaders and the U.N. secretary‑general, to advance a ceasefire and reconstruction framework that includes a Trump‑chaired "Board of Peace" and a technocratic Palestinian committee. The trip coincides with the first phase of the ceasefire — Israeli troops withdrew from parts of Gaza starting a 72‑hour clock for Hamas to hand over 48 hostages and roughly 28 bodies, and Israeli officials say about 20 living hostages are expected to be released Monday in a single coordinated transfer. The agreement also foresees a major aid surge (targets up to 600 trucks/day), partial IDF pullbacks, and Egyptian commitments to contribute troops and train Palestinian security forces for deployment under international/UN arrangements.
Politics
War & Conflict
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📌 Key Facts
- President Trump will make a quick trip to Israel to address the Knesset (a rare invitation last extended to a U.S. president in 2008), then travel to Egypt to co‑lead a Sharm el‑Sheikh summit with President el‑Sissi, and return to Washington on Oct. 14 to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the late Charlie Kirk.
- Egypt will host the Sharm el‑Sheikh summit on Monday with more than 20 world leaders expected — including the U.N. secretary‑general and leaders of the UK, France, Italy and Spain — though it remains unclear whether Israeli or Palestinian representatives will attend.
- As the ceasefire’s first phase unfolds, Israeli troops withdrew from parts of Gaza, triggering a 72‑hour clock for Hamas to hand over 48 hostages and roughly 28 bodies; Israeli officials now say all 20 living hostages are expected to be released in a single coordinated transfer early Monday to the Red Cross and initially taken to the Re'im military base for reunions.
- U.S. officials, including Trump, said they expect remaining hostages’ returns to be completed Monday or Tuesday (possibly while Trump is in the region); Trump also indicated Hamas might release 20 hostages earlier than planned, and Vice President J.D. Vance said Trump plans to welcome the released hostages in person while warning some remains may never be recovered.
- The first‑phase deal additionally calls for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, a major surge in humanitarian aid (operational targets cited include up to 600 aid trucks per day, with 400 Egyptian trucks expected on Sunday), and partial IDF pullbacks from Gaza’s main population centers, with strategic emphasis on the Philadelphi Corridor.
- Egypt publicly committed to supporting and contributing troops to an international Gaza security force under a U.N. Security Council mandate and disclosed that, with Jordan, it is training up to 5,000 Palestinians for security deployment in Gaza.
- The reconstruction/governance framework includes a proposed 'Board of Peace' to supervise Gaza’s rebuilding and governance, to be chaired by President Trump, with figures such as Tony Blair named as participants and a technocratic Palestinian committee envisioned for day‑to‑day administration; Trump has said wealthy regional states would help fund the reconstruction.
📚 Contextual Background
- When the leadership echelon of an armed group is degraded or communications are disrupted, decentralized or multiple armed actors can complicate centralized control and communication, which can make coordinated, full hostage releases difficult and lead to staged or phased releases as logistics permit.
- The proposed plan specified that Hamas would release the remaining hostages taken on October 7, 2023 within 72 hours of an agreement, and that Israel would release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences plus 1,700 other Gazans detained after the start of the conflict as part of the exchange.
- A 2025 U.S. peace plan linked a hostage release to a reciprocal exchange involving Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
- A 2025 U.S. peace plan proposed that Hamas would give up power in Gaza and disarm as part of a settlement.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
Playbook: Trump’s full-court stress test
"The Politico Playbook piece frames Trump’s simultaneous Israel/Egypt diplomatic push as a potentially major win that is being stress‑tested — and possibly undermined — by concurrent domestic crises (shutdown, layoffs, legal and trade confrontations), praising the diplomatic stakes while warning that governance failures at home could negate the benefits."
📰 Sources (8)
Trump says Hamas may release 20 hostages ‘a little bit early’ as he heads to Middle East
New information:
- While traveling to the region on Oct. 12, Trump said Hamas may release 20 hostages earlier than planned.
- The remark is a timing update aligned with his in-person diplomatic push in Israel/Egypt.
Trump leaves for a visit to Israel, and will later co-chair a meeting in Egypt on the Gaza peace plan.
New information:
- Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said all 20 living hostages are expected to be released at one time to the Red Cross early Monday and initially transferred to the Re’im military base for reunions.
- Vice President JD Vance said Trump plans to welcome the released hostages in person and cautioned some remains of deceased hostages may never be recovered.
- The Egypt summit at Sharm el-Sheikh will include more than 20 countries, the UN secretary-general, and leaders of the UK, France, Italy, and Spain; it remains unclear whether Israeli or Palestinian representatives will attend.
- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said he will pay “particular tribute” to President Trump at the summit.
Netanyahu advisor expresses 'deep faith' in Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan framework approach
New information:
- Introduces details of a 'Board of Peace' chaired by President Trump to supervise Gaza’s reconstruction and governance.
- Names Tony Blair as a participant on the board and describes a technocratic Palestinian committee for day-to-day governance.
- Provides Israeli security assessments of IDF positions post-pullback and the strategic importance of the Philadelphi Corridor.
Transcript: Badr Abdelatty on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Oct. 12, 2025
New information:
- Ahead of Trump’s Sharm el‑Sheikh meeting, Egypt publicly commits to supporting and contributing troops to a Gaza international force under a UN Security Council mandate.
- Egypt discloses active training (with Jordan) of up to 5,000 Palestinians for security deployment in Gaza.
Israel says it expects hostages, Palestinian detainees to be released on Monday
New information:
- Israel’s government now expects all 20 living hostages to be released Monday in a single coordinated transfer, aligning with the ceasefire’s first-phase timeline referenced ahead of President Trump’s visit.
- Operational details on aid scale-up (600 trucks/day target; 400 Egyptian trucks Sunday) add context to the environment surrounding the planned presidential visit.
Trump prepares for Middle East trip to highlight ceasefire agreement
New information:
- Trump has been invited to address Israel’s Knesset — a rarity last extended to a U.S. president (George W. Bush) in 2008.
- Israeli troops finished withdrawing from parts of Gaza on Friday, starting a 72-hour clock for Hamas to release hostages.
- Trump said he expects remaining hostages’ return to be completed Monday or Tuesday, possibly while he is on the ground.
- He will travel on to Egypt to co-lead a Sharm el-Sheikh summit with President el-Sissi, with leaders from more than 20 countries.
- Article reiterates first-phase terms: release of 48 hostages (about 20 believed alive), hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, surge of aid, and partial IDF pullback from Gaza’s main cities.
- New on-record quotes from Trump about rebuilding Gaza with funding from wealthy regional states.
Trump plans whirlwind trip to Israel and Egypt before rushing back to White House for Charlie Kirk honor
New information:
- Trump, in Oval Office remarks, confirms a quick trip to Israel to address the Knesset and then to Egypt before returning to Washington.
- He says the 72-hour window for Hamas to hand over 48 hostages and approximately 28 bodies began Friday night local time.
- Egypt will host an international summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday with more than 20 world leaders expected, per an Egyptian spokesperson cited via Reuters.
- Trump adds he will return Tuesday, Oct. 14, to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the late Charlie Kirk at the White House East Room.