Trump Declares Gaza War Over Ahead of Middle East Peace Summit

US President Donald Trump has authoritatively declared the Gaza war terminated as he embarked on a diplomatic mission to the Middle East for an international peace summit focused on implementing the recently established ceasefire. Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Tel Aviv, Trump responded to questions about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's non-acknowledgment of the conflict's conclusion by stating "The war is over, okay? You understand that?" while expressing confidence in the durability of the ceasefire arrangement.

President Trump cited multiple factors supporting the ceasefire's sustainability, noting "(There are) a lot of reasons why it's going to hold. But I think people are tired of it. It's been centuries, not just recent. It's been centuries." Regarding post-conflict governance, Trump confirmed plans to establish a "Board of Peace" for Gaza "very quickly" while expressing uncertainty about including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, noting "First, I want to find out that Tony would be popular with all, because I just don't know that." Reconstruction efforts would commence "immediately" though requiring years to complete, with Trump describing Gaza as resembling "a demolition site" where "almost the entire site is blasted."

The presidential delegation includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine. Trump's schedule includes Tel Aviv arrival Monday morning, meetings with hostage families, a Knesset address, and subsequent travel to Sharm el-Sheikh to co-chair the peace summit with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The American leader characterized the diplomatic initiative as generating exceptional enthusiasm, noting "This is the first time everybody is amazed and they're thrilled, and it's an honor to be involved."

The Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit will convene over twenty world leaders including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Egypt characterized the summit's objectives as ending the Gaza war, enhancing Middle East peace efforts, and establishing regional security stability. The gathering implements the 20-point framework Trump announced last Wednesday, which includes prisoner exchanges, Israeli military withdrawal, and eventual establishment of new Gaza governance excluding Hamas participation.