Salem News Channel

Trump: 'We Have Peace In The Middle East'

U.S. President Donald Trump declared “we have peace in the Middle East” during the Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt on Monday, Oct. 13, as leaders gathered to mark the formal end of the Gaza war. "Nobody thought this could happen", he said, adding "together we have achieved what everybody said impossible." He stated that the cease-fire in Gaza will continue, calling the day “an incredible one not only for the Middle East but for the entire world.” US President Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi have co-chaired the summit, attended by leaders of more than 20 countries, to solidify the ceasefire and advance post-war reconstruction efforts in Gaza. The summit comes after the Palestinian group Hamas released 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 prisoners under the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire plan. Last week, Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a plan he laid out Sept. 29 to bring a ceasefire to Gaza, release all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the entire Gaza Strip. The first phase of the deal came into force on Friday. Phase two of the plan calls for the establishment of a new governing mechanism in Gaza without Hamas’ participation, the formation of a multinational force, and the disarmament of Hamas. Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed over 67,800 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it largely uninhabitable.

Shooting At South Carolina Bar Kills 4 And Injures Others

A mass shooting at a crowded bar on the idyllic South Carolina island of St. Helena has left four people dead and at least 20 injured. Officials from the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office say it happened early Sunday at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island. Among the injured, four were in critical condition at hospitals. The victims’ identities have not been released. Bar owner Willie Turral was inside and heard a burst of shots outside the bar. He said people were screaming in panic and fear. He said the bar was packed for a high school alumni event.

Trump's Middle-East Peace Deal Marks Historic Moment

Mississippi School Homecomings Leave 8 Dead, Others Injured

High school homecoming celebrations in Mississippi ended with two separate shootings on Friday night. Authorities report at least eight people dead and many others injured. In Leland, six people were killed and about 20 were injured after a football game. Four of the injured are in critical condition. State Senator Derrick Simmons described the scene as chaotic. No arrests have been made, and authorities are seeking information. In Heidelberg, two people were killed on a school campus during homecoming. Investigations in both towns are ongoing.

Plane Crash Kills 2, Wounds 1 In Massachusetts

A small plane crashed along a major highway in southeastern Massachusetts early Monday amid rain and strong winds, killing both people on board and wounding another person on the ground, authorities said. In videos shot by people in passing vehicles, smoke could be seen billowing above Interstate 195 from scattered, blazing debris. The highway was closed in both directions near the crash site in Dartmouth, a town about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Boston, the state Department of Transportation said. The Massachusetts State Police said in a statement it was not aware of any survivors on the plane, which it said may have been attempting to land at New Bedford Regional Airport. Officials said it does not appear the pilot provided the airport with a flight plan or passenger details. A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the crash, saying a Socata TBM-700 had departed from the New Bedford airport. No information about the people on board is being made public pending notification of next of kin, authorities said. A person on the ground was taken to a hospital, state police said. In a Facebook post, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell extended his condolences to the loved ones of those lost in the “tragic plane crash." New Bedford Regional Airport officials are prepared to support the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation, Mitchell said. “I am grateful that the crash miraculously did not result in serious injuries to motorists on Interstate 195,” he said. At the time of the crash, the National Weather Service said a nor’easter had brought rain and winds from 30 to 40 mph (48 to 64 kph) to the area. The Federal Aviation Administration, which state police said would likely take over the investigation, said in an email that it could not respond to media inquiries due to the government shutdown.

Israelis & Palestinians Rejoice As Hostages & Prisoners Are Freed

Israelis celebrated the return of the last surviving hostages from Gaza — a defining exchange in the fragile ceasefire that has paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel as part of the ceasefire deal, arriving to welcoming crowds in the West Bank and Gaza. As part of the day's remarkable developments, U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the Knesset, receiving a standing ovation in the Israeli parliament. He and other leaders arrived in the Middle East to discuss postwar plans while aid was increasingly flowing into famine-stricken Gaza.