ISLAMABAD – US President Donald Trump landed in Israel amid historic release of hostages captured by Hamas. President Trump was greeted on the tarmac by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and President Isaac Herzog.
Trump’s arrival came just hours after Israeli forces confirmed that hostages had crossed the border into Israel, sending waves of relief and celebration across the nation. Air Force One even flew over Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, a symbolic site of protests by the hostages’ families, as the world watched.
Trump in Israel
President Donald J. Trump arrives in Israel and is greeted by @IsraeliPM, marking the start of a historic day. 🇺🇸🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/VxYkG5mMaj
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 13, 2025
Trump is set to meet with the families of the hostages and deliver a high-profile address to the Knesset. In recognition of his role in this extraordinary humanitarian effort, he will be awarded Israel’s highest civilian honor—the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor.
The hostage exchange comes at a steep price: Israel will release 250 Palestinian prisoners and hand over 1,700 detainees. Yet, for many, the return of the hostages marks a triumphant moment of hope in the midst of conflict.
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is overseeing the complex operation, transferring hostages from Hamas and returning Palestinian detainees held in Israel to Gaza and the West Bank. Twenty hostages are set to be reunited with their families today. Seven have already been released, including Matan Engerst, Guy Gilboa Dalal, Alon Ohel, Gali and Zivi Berman, Eitan Mor, and Omari Moran.
After his address, POTUS will travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for a world leaders’ summit aimed at ending Gaza war.
