How Trump Became Israel’s Hero Amid Hostage Returns – What’s Next for Gaza?
Donald Trump is hailed as Israel’s hero after brokering the Gaza ceasefire and securing the release of 20 hostages. Families reunite in tears as the region hopes for peace, but Hamas’s stance leaves Gaza’s future uncertain.
'Historic Dawn'
For US President Donald Trump, Monday was a day of triumph – a moment where politics, spectacle, and history intertwined on the soil of Israel. The 79-year-old president savoured a hero's welcome in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, after a ceasefire he helped broker brought an end to years of bloodshed in Gaza and secured the release of 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
“I’ve been involved in a lot of success. I have never seen anything like what’s going on today,” Trump told lawmakers, adding that people were “dancing in the streets” about the deal.
The reception in Israel reflected more than gratitude – it was admiration for a deal many believed no other US president could achieve. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump the “greatest friend of Israel,” while lawmakers gave him a standing ovation, some wearing red MAGA-style hats with the words “Trump the Peace President.”
The Hero’s Welcome
Trump’s visit was part political celebration, part personal victory lap. In typical Trump fashion, he praised allies and family members, including son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka, who accompanied him to the Knesset. He even urged a pardon for Netanyahu over a corruption case, adding, “Cigars and some champagne – who the hell cares.”
“This was his deal. He worked this out,” said Mark Kelly, Democratic Senator from Arizona, recognizing the former president’s role in securing the hostages’ release. Jake Sullivan, national security adviser under Joe Biden, echoed the sentiment: “I give credit to President Trump,” praising his envoy Steve Witkoff and Kushner.
Yet Trump was aware that the victory lap was only the beginning. “Israel has won all that they can through force of arms,” he told the Knesset. “It is now time to translate these victories... into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the Middle East.”
Tears, Joy, and the Human Face of the Hostage Crisis
While Trump celebrated in Jerusalem, the streets of Tel Aviv were alive with raw human emotion. Freed hostages reunited with their families after two years of captivity in Gaza, wrapped in Israeli flags, tears streaming down their faces.
“My life, you are my life... you are a hero,” cried Einav Zangauker as she embraced her son Matan. Videos from the Israeli military captured the pain and relief of parents like Eitan Mor’s father, who wailed in joy as he reunited with his son.
Crowds gathered at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square erupted in song and applause as news of the hostages’ return spread. Shelly Bar Nir, 34, summed up the collective relief: “It’s so exciting and overwhelming that it’s finally happening… what we’ve been fighting for, for over two years – finally our hostages are coming home.”
Yet grief lingered. Noga, a mother who had marked each day of the hostages’ captivity with a badge, said, “I’m torn between emotion and sadness for those who won’t be coming back.”
L'otage libéré, Eitan Mor, retrouve ses parents. Tandis que son père pleure et serre son fils dans ses bras, la mère d'Eitan prend un instant pour remercier Dieu de les avoir amenés à ce moment.
Un moment déchirant dont il est difficile de rester insensible.
Comme les… pic.twitter.com/Wl44NmvPhS— Beau Gosse Prétentieux_Backup (@BoGossPrebackup) October 13, 2025
The Ceasefire and the Prisoner Exchange
The US-backed ceasefire went into effect on Friday, marking a milestone in the Gaza conflict. The deal called for the release of 47 living and dead Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 prisoners held by Israel, mostly Gazans detained since the outbreak of the war.
While all 20 living hostages returned safely, the bodies of the deceased hostages were only partially delivered. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum called it “a blatant breach of the agreement by Hamas,” underscoring that the struggle to recover all missing Israelis is far from over.
Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza has reached 67,869, according to Hamas-run health authorities, highlighting the staggering human cost of the conflict.
What Comes Next for Gaza?
While Israelis, Palestinians, and others around the world welcomed the ceasefire and the initial releases, the next stages of Trump’s plan for Gaza are expected to be far more challenging to implement.
A Hamas source close to the group's negotiating committee told AFP on Sunday that it would not participate in governing post-war Gaza. The source, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said the movement has "relinquished control of the Strip", but stressed it "remains a fundamental part of the Palestinian fabric."
Another Hamas official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, earlier told AFP that the militant group's disarmament was "out of the question."
Trump’s Unexpected Role
Trump’s hero status is unusual. Often a divisive figure at home, his intervention has drawn praise across party lines for solving a problem that has confounded every US president for decades. Israelis hail him as a peacemaker; Palestinians are cautiously hopeful that the ceasefire might lead to stability, even as Hamas steps back from governance.
“The long and painful nightmare is finally over,” Trump declared in the Knesset. His words capture both relief and the fragile hope that the region may finally glimpse peace. But with unresolved questions over Hamas’s role, Israel’s commitments, and the return of all hostages, the path forward is fraught.
For now, the hero’s welcome is real. For Trump, it is the crowning moment of a turbulent second term. For Gaza and Israel, it is a fragile dawn that may yet shape the Middle East for years to come.