US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the Gaza hostages should be released on Monday or Tuesday and that he hopes to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt and address the Israeli Knesset.

Trump opened a White House cabinet meeting by discussing a deal reached on Wednesday under which the hostages held by Hamas militants are to be released in the first phase of a broader Gaza plan.

He said he believed it would lead to “lasting peace.”

Trump said under the plan, Gaza is going to be “slowly redone”, a reference to plans to rebuild the Palestinian enclave. He did not provide details other than to say “we’re going to create something where people can live. You can’t live right now in Gaza.”

Hamas is expected to release the 20 living hostages together, 72 hours after the ceasefire begins.

“We are getting the hostages back on Tuesday – Monday or Tuesday – and that’ll be a day of joy,” Trump said.