By: Fern Sidman

Israel entered a state of feverish preparation on Thursday as officials confirmed that President Donald Trump is expected to arrive in the country this coming Sunday, following his announcement that both Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of his long-negotiated peace and hostage-release plan. The landmark agreement—hailed by Israeli leaders as a turning point in one of the most painful chapters in the nation’s history—is poised to bring home the 48 remaining hostages still held in Gaza and potentially set the stage for a permanent ceasefire after nearly two years of devastating conflict.

According to a report that appeared on Thursday in The Times of Israel, senior Israeli officials described the coming visit as “historic, emotional, and deeply symbolic,” with President Trump expected to attend ceremonies at Ben Gurion Airport, the Knesset, and the Western Wall. While the White House has not released an official itinerary, the president is reportedly slated to land around 3 p.m. Sunday and depart later that night, though his exact schedule remains contingent on the hostage-release timetable.

“We are working around the clock to ensure all arrangements are in place,” one Israeli official told The Times of Israel, adding that “the president’s visit is in the cards, and discussions are ongoing at the highest levels.”

The anticipation across Israel is palpable. For the families of hostages, Trump’s visit represents not just a diplomatic milestone but a profoundly personal moment of closure after nearly two harrowing years of anguish.

In a letter obtained by The Times of Israel, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum invited the American president to speak at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where weekly vigils have been held since the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre that claimed 1,200 Israeli lives and led to the abduction of 251 civilians and soldiers.

“We would be deeply honored if you would meet with us during your upcoming visit to Israel,” the letter read. “We simply need the opportunity to look you in the eye and express what words alone cannot fully convey: that you gave us back our families, and with them, our hope.”

Trump has not yet responded publicly to the invitation. However, The Times of Israel reported that the letter’s circulation quickly went viral, sparking an outpouring of gratitude toward the U.S. president from hostage families and the wider Israeli public.

As The Times of Israel report detailed, the deal brokered by Trump and his diplomatic team represents the first concrete progress in months of negotiations aimed at bringing an end to the war in Gaza. Under the terms of the agreement, Israel and Hamas have signed off on a “first phase” that will see the release of hostages in exchange for the staged freeing of Palestinian prisoners, along with an initial ceasefire to pave the way for further political dialogue.

In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday night, Trump said the 48 hostages still held in Gaza would “probably be released on Monday,” expressing confidence that the process was “well underway.”

“Tremendous help came from everyone on my team,” Trump said, emphasizing that the deal required unprecedented coordination with Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. “We got it done—it’s peace through strength and through compassion.”

According to the information provided in The Times of Israel report, the hostages include 47 of the 251 Israelis abducted on October 7, as well as the body of an IDF soldier killed in Gaza during the 2014 conflict. Israeli defense officials have confirmed that 20 hostages are believed to be alive, while 26 are confirmed dead, and the condition of two others remains uncertain.

A senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that Israel would release nearly 2,000 Palestinian security prisoners, including 250 convicted terrorists serving life sentences and 1,700 detainees arrested since the start of the war, in exchange for the remaining hostages.

Izzat al-Risheq, a senior Hamas spokesperson, hailed the deal as “the fruit of the tremendous sacrifices and legendary patience of our people,” describing it as a “triumph of the resistance.”

But Israeli officials, quoted in The Times of Israel report, framed the agreement differently—as a humanitarian necessity secured through “unrelenting diplomatic pressure and military leverage.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasted no time in acknowledging the significance of Trump’s role. According to the information contained in The Times of Israel report, Netanyahu held what his office described as an “emotional and warm” phone conversation with the U.S. president after the deal was finalized.

“Mr. President, with God’s help, we will bring them all home,” Netanyahu reportedly told Trump, thanking him for “his global leadership and unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.”

In a subsequent statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu invited Trump to address the Knesset during his visit—a symbolic gesture underscoring the depth of the moment. It remains unclear, however, whether Trump has accepted the invitation.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, who has long criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the hostage crisis, nevertheless voiced strong support for the Hostages Forum’s call for Trump to speak publicly.

“There is nothing more fitting, more symbolic, more moving than a speech by President Trump in Hostages Square with the return home of our hostages,” Lapid wrote on X. “It would be a historic moment.”

As the news of the agreement broke, scenes of spontaneous jubilation erupted across Israel. The Times of Israel reported that by Thursday morning, Hostages Square in Tel Aviv was “flooded with Israelis praising the American leader” and lighting candles for those still unaccounted for.

“We understood that Trump would bring back the hostages, and that’s what happened,” said one attendee, quoted in The Times of Israel report. “We trusted our own government, but God wanted this, and Trump gave it a big push for things to happen here.”

In Jerusalem, preparations for the president’s arrival began immediately. Ynet News reported that Trump and his entourage are expected to stay at the King David Hotel, a storied landmark that has hosted world leaders from Winston Churchill to Barack Obama. According to hotel officials cited in The Times of Israel report, two entire floors have been reserved for the U.S. delegation, with guests being relocated to accommodate the visiting dignitaries.

Security measures are expected to be unprecedented in scope. The Israel Police, Shin Bet, and U.S. Secret Service have reportedly coordinated to deploy extensive security perimeters around the Knesset, the Western Wall, and Ben Gurion Airport.

Behind the diplomatic spectacle lies the culmination of months of quiet, high-stakes maneuvering. As The Times of Israel report explained, Trump’s plan builds on a broader “peace framework” designed to address both immediate humanitarian concerns and long-term stability in the region.

According to sources close to the negotiations, the ceasefire agreement was finalized after marathon talks in Cairo and Doha. Trump himself hinted earlier this week that his willingness to travel to the Middle East hinged on the success of those talks.

“We’ll be leaving, probably on Sunday, maybe Saturday,” he told reporters on Wednesday, just hours before announcing the breakthrough.

The timing of Trump’s visit—coming just days after the deal’s signing—signals his desire to personally cement the achievement. Diplomats quoted in The Times of Israel report described it as a “carefully orchestrated moment of statesmanship” aimed at reaffirming the U.S.-Israel alliance while projecting American influence across the region.

While Israel’s relief was palpable, the atmosphere in Gaza was one of chaotic jubilation mixed with weary hope. According to the information contained in The Times of Israel report, thousands of Gazans poured into the streets upon hearing of the ceasefire, chanting “Allahu Akbar” and waving Palestinian flags.

For many in the war-torn enclave, Trump’s announcement represented the first tangible sign of respite after months of bombardment, shortages, and displacement. “We want this to be the end,” one Gaza City resident told The Times of Israel. “We want to go home.”

Still, humanitarian organizations cautioned that any celebration remains premature. The United Nations and Israeli officials have confirmed that implementation of the deal will be complex, involving coordinated logistics for prisoner transfers, hostage medical evaluations, and ceasefire verification mechanisms.

Trump’s impending arrival, as was noted in The Times of Israel report, carries immense symbolic weight. It will be his first trip to Israel since leaving office and his first as the architect of a ceasefire that, if sustained, could mark the end of one of Israel’s longest and bloodiest conflicts.

Analysts believe the visit will serve as both a political and diplomatic crescendo—a chance for Trump to showcase his statesmanship while offering Israelis the reassurance of American solidarity. “This visit will be brief but historic,” one diplomatic source told The Times of Israel. “It’s about closure, unity, and the reaffirmation of a bond that has weathered unimagineable trials.”

The trip also shines a spotlight on Trump’s reemergence as a major actor on the world stage, with observers noting that his direct intervention in the Middle East conflict contrasts sharply with the more cautious approach taken by his predecessors.

As Israel braces for the president’s arrival, officials remain cautious but optimistic. The coming days will test not only the durability of the ceasefire but also the political will of both sides to move beyond cycles of vengeance and mistrust.

For now, though, the focus remains on the hostages—their return, their families’ reunion, and the fragile hope that their release may open the door to a new era of stability.

As The Times of Israel report observed, “If all goes according to plan, Sunday will not simply mark a diplomatic visit—it will mark a moment of national healing. For the first time since October 7, Israel will breathe, and the world will watch.”