The war in Gaza has ended and the Middle East is going to “normalise,” US President Donald Trump said on Sunday 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 normalise.”

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.

“Tomorrow is the beginning of a new path. A path of building, a path of healing, and I hope – a path of uniting hearts,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

Such optimism was shared broadly.

“There is a lot of joy among the people,” said Abdou Abu Seada, a resident of Gaza who added that the joy was tempered by exhaustion after two years of war that has destroyed much of Gaza.

Government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said Israel expected hostages to start being released early Monday morning, with the 20 living hostages to be released together.

If hostages were released earlier, Israel was ready to receive them, she said. Their release is to be followed later by the handover of the bodies of the remaining 28 deceased hostages.