President Donald Trump received multiple standing ovations at the Knesset, Monday morning, as he addressed Israel’s parliament following the release of 20 Israeli hostages.
“After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families,” Trump told the plenum. “After so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace.”
Trump delivered remarks in Israel and met with families of hostages ahead of his trip to Egypt, where he co-hosted a summit on Gaza’s future with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi that was attended by more than 20 world leaders.
The president told the Israelis that the peace agreement represents an “incredible triumph for Israel and the world,” and expressed great optimism that it will be a lasting peace.
“This is not only the end of a war—it is the end of an age of terror and death, and the beginning of the age of faith, hope, and of God,” Trump declared. “This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
The president underscored America’s bond with Israel and reflected on the work he had done with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other world leaders throughout the two-year war with Hamas.
He added that now it was time to translate “victories against terrorists” into peace and prosperity for the Middle East.
Trump received a rousing standing ovation as he spoke on the October 7 massacre.
“Never forget and never again,” Trump declared. “The cruelty of October 7 struck the heart of humanity. The US mourned alongside Israel,” Trump said.
“Because of us, the long and painful nightmare is finally over,” he added.
Trump went on to praise Israel for its work dismantling Iran in June’s Operation Rising Lion, and the part the US played in striking Iran’s nuclear facilities in Operation Midnight Hammer.
“We stopped the number one state sponsor of terror in obtaining the world’s most dangerous weapons,” he stated. “We took a big cloud off the Middle East and off of Israel,” Trump said to another round of applause.
“They [Iran] took a big hit. You know it would be great if we could make a peace deal” with them, he added.
“The dagger of Hezbollah, long aimed at Israel’s throat, has been shattered,” Trump said. “The world wanted peace and Israel wanted peace, everybody did, and what a victory it’s been. The timing of this is brilliant,” Trump said as he thanked Netanyahu for “having the courage to end the war.”
“Generations from now, this will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change,” he stated.
Trump then turned his attention to expanding the Abraham Accords, after four years of neglect under the Biden administration.
“It’s my firm hope and dream that the Abraham Accords will turn out to be everything that we thought they would,” he stated.
The president also called on Iran to join in making a peace deal. “We are ready when you are, and it’s going to be the best decision that Iran ever made,” Trump said.
“What you’ve done is a miracle,” Trump told the Israelis. “When you think about it, you’re safer today, stronger today, and more respected today then at any time in the history of Israel,” he added.
“We are going to have hope, harmony, opportunity and happiness here in the spiritual and geographic center of the entire world,” Trump declared, adding that “Israel, America, and all of the nations in the Middle East will soon be safer, stronger, greater, and more prosperous than ever before.”