Trump greeted with huge 'Thank You' sign near Tel Aviv beach as Air Force One arrives in Israel

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL: President Donald Trump arrived in Israel on Monday, October 13, and was greeted by a large "Thank You" banner across the Tel Aviv beach before Air Force One reached Ben Gurion Airport.

Featuring two blue stripes and Stars of David modeled on the Israeli flag, the sign read "Thank you" in English and Hebrew, with the word "home" also included.

Trump to address the Knesset during Israel visit

Donald Trump's Air Force One flew over the sign before he landed at the Ben Gurion Airport to oversee the peace deal between Israel and Hamas aimed at returning the hostages and halting the war in Gaza.

The POTUS' visit includes a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an address to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. Trump will also meet the families of the hostages.

Following his visit to Israel, Trump is scheduled to travel to Egypt, where leaders from more than 20 countries, including French President Emmanuel Macron and the UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, will attend a summit on Gaza's future.

Nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are also expected to be freed as part of the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire deal.

The deal also allows humanitarian aid into Gaza, with up to 600 trucks per day, including international monitoring.

However, key issues, like Hamas' disarmament and Gaza's future governance, remain unresolved.

Netanyahu told Israeli citizens on Thursday, "The next stages of Trump's plan are that 'Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised," adding that Hamas has not yet pledged to disarm.

"If this is achieved the easy way, so much the better. And if not, it will be achieved the hard way," he added.

Hamas releases all living Israeli hostages after 738 days

Hamas released all living Israeli hostages on Monday, 738 days after they were taken into Gaza during the October 7, 2023, attack. 

The exchange is part of a Trump-brokered deal between Israel and Hamas that aims to bring an end to the war. Thousands of Israelis watched the transfers at public screenings across the country, with a major event being held in Tel Aviv.

Earlier on Monday, the Red Cross confirmed that they were beginning the process of Hamas handing over the 20 detainees.

"The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has started a multi-phase operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages and detainees as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas," the statement said.

The first seven hostages released by Hamas were confirmed as Eitan Mor, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Alon Ohel, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, and Matan Angrest. 

The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed the names of the second group of 13 hostages released by Hamas to be Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Evyatar David, Rom Braslabski, Segev Kalfon, Maxim Herkin, Bar Kupershtein, Eitan Horn, Ariel Cunio, David Cunio, Matan Zangauker, and Nimrod Cohen. 

The freed hostages will undergo an initial medical evaluation once they reach Israeli territory. After the first group of hostages was released, the IDF announced that they were ready to take in additional hostages who were expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later on.

Moreover, the Israeli Air Force had confirmed it has two helicopters set to bring the 20 hostages home.