The war in Gaza has ended and the Middle East is going to "normalize," U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday (October 12) as he flew to Israel, which was waiting for Hamas to release Israeli hostages as world leaders were gathering to discuss the next steps toward peace.

"The war is over, you understand that," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he began a flight from Washington to Israel.

Asked about prospects for the region, Trump said, "I think it's going to normalize."

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day on Sunday ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and a scheduled address by Trump to Israel's parliament.

Thousands of Palestinians continued to travel north towards Gaza City, the focus of Israeli attacks over the past two months, hopeful the ceasefire would bring an end to the war.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1 . U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP LISTENING AS REPORTER ASKS HIM:

“Is the war between Israel and Hamas over?

2. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, IN EXCHANGE WITH REPORTERS, SAYING:

“The war is over. War is over. The war is over, okay? Do you understand that?”

REPORTER: “Mr. President, is the ceasefire going to hold? Are you confident the ceasefire will hold?”

TRUMP: “I think so. I think it’s going to hold. I think people are, a lot of reasons why it’s going to hold. I think people are tired of it. It’s been centuries, okay. Not just recent. It’s been centuries. I think people are tired of it. Yeah. The ceasefire’s going to hold and… [audio interrupted].”

REPORTER: Mr. President, what will Gaza look like. Gaza looks like a year from now? (CROSS TALK)

DIFFERENT REPORTER: “The international stabilization force is part of a…”

TRUMP: “A good strong force. I don't think it's going to have a big impact because I don't think I think barely we're going to have to use it. I think people are going to behave. Everybody knows their place. It's going to be great for everybody. It's going to be great for the surrounding countries, Arab, Muslim, all of them. It's going to be great for Israel. Everybody is happy. And I think it's going to stay that way.”

3. WHITE FLASH

4. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, IN EXCHANGE WITH REPORTERS, SAYING:

TRUMP: “I don’t know about the Riviera for a while, because you take a look at what you have. But it's going to start really essentially immediately. I mean, they're going to have to start by removing a lot of the structures that you see that are down to the ground. I mean, it's a very — it's blasted. This is like a demolition site. Almost the entire site is - so you have to, you have to get rid of what you have there. You have structures that are very dangerous. They're falling down. If they haven't fallen, they're going to fall down of their own volition. So that process, Peter, is going to start pretty much immediately, in a way.”

5. WHITE FLASH

6. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, IN EXCHANGE WITH REPORTERS, SAYING:

REPORTER: “How soon will that new governing body be in place?”

TRUMP: “Very quickly. And everybody wants to be a part of it. You're talking about the Board of Peace?”

REPORTER: “That’s right. Tony Blair, yourself.”

TRUMP: “Everybody wants to be a part of it. I've had calls from all of the leaders, the leaders of countries, they all want to be a part. I mean, the leaders themselves, they're not going to send somebody. They want to a part of it.”

7. WHITE FLASH

8. SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, IN EXCHANGE WITH REPORTERS, SAYING:

“I like Tony (Blair) I've always like Tony, but I want to find out that he's an acceptable choice, to everybody.

REPORTER: “What about what guarantees have you been able to give both the Israelis and the Arab countries? Guarantees? The Israelis are very concerned…

TRUMP: “We have a lot of verbal guarantees, too. And I don't think they're going to want to disappoint me. I have a lot of verbal guarantees, guarantees that aren't down in writing, but they were given to me. And I believe they're going to be held very strongly. That's why I think it's going to be successful.”

9. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, IN EXCHANGE WITH REPORTERS, SAYING:

REPORTER: “What is the latest that you've heard about hostages, when they will be released? Do you expect to meet with any of them?”

TRUMP: “Well, I hear that hostages might be even a little early, but I don't want to say that. So, they have the hostages. I understand all 20. And we may get them out a little bit early. Getting them was amazing, actually, because we were involved and they were in places that you you don't want to know about – deep, deep

10. WHITE FLASH

11. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, IN EXCHANGE WITH REPORTERS, DISCUSSING HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU, SAYING:

“He just put me up for the Nobel Prize. So, you know, I don't know what it means for the Nobel Prize. But, he put me up yesterday for the Nobel Prize that I should get it. But I mean, I think it's very good.”

REPORTER: “Has he made commitments to you personally about moving forward to the next phase of peace.”

TRUMP: “Look, let me tell you. He's a wartime president. He did a very good job. I had some disputes with him, and they were quickly settled, I can tell you that but as far as I’m concerned, I think’s he done a great job. He was the right person at this time.”

12. WHITE FLASH

13. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“They were a tremendous help. Qatar was a tremendous to getting this done. I hope people can realize that. It was very tough and very dangerous for Qatar. They were very brave, and their leader, the Emir, was very, very brave. And Qatar should start getting some credit.”