Before the announcement that all hostages had been safely transferred, the mood in the square was a combination of elation and intense fear. It reflected the extreme array of emotions Israelis have felt over the course of the first weeks of the current hostage deal.

Trump sent Witkoff to ensure the ceasefire agreement advances to the second phase, which will require hashing out more thorny questions about Gaza’s future.

This trip comes as negotiations for the second phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas are set to begin, with the US envoy to the Middle East expressing optimism going forward