When I first arrived in Israel back in October 2023 to report on the war, I never imagined I’d be standing here nearly two years later, in the same place, witnessing its end.

But today, in Hostage Square, the guns are silent, the skies are calm, and Israel is finally at peace. Donald Trump has declared the war over, and the hostages are being released as part of his new peace plan.

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The atmosphere here is electric — relief, joy, and disbelief rolled into one. I asked one woman how she felt, and through tears she told me, “I can’t even describe it in words. We are so excited… It’s finally here. Amazing feeling. Great. Bring back the hostages. Thank you, Trump.”

All around me, people are smiling, crying, waving flags and wearing shirts with Trump’s face. One man proudly showed me his MAGA kippah and said, “I’m wearing this for the best president ever. He’s making the world great again — he’s a king of peace.”

Not everyone here is simply celebrating ... for many, it’s deeply emotional. One woman, who’s been coming to Hostage Square every Saturday night for two years, told me, “It’s hard to believe we’re here. I feel like I’m going to start crying and never stop until we see them all home.”

🚨 ABC’s Anti-Israel Bias Finally Confronted — at Hostage Square LIVE!

WATCH & SHARE what happened when I confronted ABC’s top propagandist, Matthew Doran — the man who’s been lying to Australians about Israel and Hamas for the past two years.

👉 https://t.co/raxd1KkxQK pic.twitter.com/bd2XQjs7HX

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) October 13, 2025

And while much of the world’s media has turned on Israel, the people here haven’t forgotten who helped make this moment possible. As one man told me bluntly, “Everything was stuck until Trump came along and said, okay, let’s do this. We’re here thanks to him.”

There’s still sorrow mixed with the joy. Some hostages didn’t survive, and their families will be burying them in the coming days. But as night falls on Tel Aviv, hope has returned to Israel.

After years of fear and bloodshed, the people here are finally breathing again. And maybe, just maybe, this really is the dawn of a new era for peace in the Middle East.