US President Donald Trump expressed uncertainty about his spiritual fate during a flight to Israel, humorously addressing the question of whether his efforts to end the Gaza war would secure him a place in heaven. During the trip, Trump was asked if resolving the conflict would earn him a ticket to heaven, to which he responded with a mix of humor and self-assurance.
Trump claimed he was unsure if his actions would lead him to heaven, stating, “I think I’m not maybe heaven-bound. I may be in heaven right now as we fly on Air Force One. I’m not sure I’ll be able to make heaven, but I’ve made life a lot better for a lot of people.” He also boasted about his negotiation skills, calling the Gaza conflict his eighth war solved.
The recent prisoner swap agreement, where Hamas freed 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for 300 Palestinian prisoners, marked progress toward peace. However, Trump noted that Hamas refused to disarm or hand over power, and Israel has not committed to a full withdrawal from Gaza. Trump, raised Presbyterian and a strong supporter of Evangelical Christians, has long had a base of support among conservative religious groups.
Later that day, Trump and leaders of Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey signed a declaration in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, endorsing the ceasefire and a path toward “comprehensive and durable peace arrangements.” Trump’s 20-point peace plan calls for Gaza to become a “deradicalized terror-free zone.” While Hamas agreed to the prisoner swap outlined in the plan, it refused to disarm or hand over power, and Israel has so far not committed to a full withdrawal from the strip.