On Monday, in separate announcements, the presidents of Egypt and Israel each awarded U.S. President Donald Trump one of their respective country’s highest honors for his work brokering a peace agreement designed to end the war in Gaza.
Pres. Trump attended peace agreement signing ceremonies in each of the two countries on Monday as the 20 surviving hostages taken by terrorist Hamas were released after more than seven hundred days in captivity. They were captured during the unprovoked October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war.
At the Knesset in Jerusalem, President Isaac Herzog informed Trump that he will award the U.S. president with the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor in recognition of his work to secure the release of the hostages and an end to the war. The formal presentation will take place in the coming months at a time and place yet to be determined.
“Through his tireless efforts, President Trump has not only helped bring our loved ones home but has also laid the foundations for a new era in the Middle East built on security, cooperation, and genuine hope for a peaceful future,” Pres. Herzog said in a statement. “It will be a great honor for me to present him with the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor.”
The Presidential Medal of Honor is awarded to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the State of Israel or to humanity through their talents, service, or other means. It is the highest civilian honor awarded by the State of Israel.
“President Trump’s legacy will be remembered for generations by the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” Pres. Herzog said:
“From his unwavering support for the State of Israel, to the advent of the Abraham Accords which expanded the circle of peace in our region, from the two historic agreements that brought our dear hostages home and saved countless lives, to the decisive strike on Iran’s nuclear program, President Trump’s voice has always been one of courage and leadership, and of steadfast commitment to the pursuit of peace and humanity.”
Also on Monday, Pres. Trump attended the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt, where he co-chaired the event with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. It was there, in the presence of leaders from nearly two dozen countries, that the Egyptian president awarded Trump with his nation’s highest state honor - the Order of the Nile, a gold collar featuring three square segments representing pharaonic symbols.
Pres. El-Sisi said the award is reserved for heads of state who provide “distinguished services to humanity.” Trump’s Nile Collar was awarded in recognition of “his significant contributions to promoting peace, resolving conflicts, and most recently, his pivotal role in ending the war in Gaza,” El-Sisi’s office said in a statement.
Past recipients include Nelson Mandela, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and most recently, Spain’s King Felipe VI.
The peace agreements signed Monday are the first phase of a multi-stage plan to bring a permanent end to Israel’s war with Hamas and ensure peace in the region.
President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks to Israel's Knesset in Jerusalem. ????????
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 13, 2025
"After two harrowing years in darkness & captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families... Today, the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at PEACE." pic.twitter.com/edHG5ndSM5