US President Donald Trump cheered Israeli lawmakers after helping broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, saying “a long and painful nightmare is finally over.”
In the first speech by a U.S. president since 2008, Trump said this day would be “the moment when things start to change and change for the much better” in the Middle East.
President Trump’s speech to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, came on the day Hamas released the last 20 hostages held in Palestinian territories.
Israel has released 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 other Palestinians held during a two-year military operation in the Gaza Strip.
President Trump, who is touring the region, is also attending a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and other world leaders.
After arriving in Egypt, he said the second phase of negotiations for a peace agreement was underway.
In his Knesset speech this morning, the US president suggested that the region was experiencing “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
His words echoed the language used by Israel when it signed landmark deals with several Arab countries during his first presidency.
“At last, a long and painful nightmare is finally over, not only for Israel but also for the Palestinians,” President Trump said.
Politicians chanted “Trump, Trump, Trump,” adding to the cheering atmosphere in the room.
The ceasefire he helped broker was “the most challenging breakthrough, perhaps the most challenging breakthrough ever,” the American leader recalled. He said ending the Russian-Ukrainian war would be his next goal.
In a recent conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said he felt Israel’s military operation in Gaza was “bad” and “overheated.”
“I said, ‘Bibi, you’re going to be remembered for a lot more than if you just kept doing this and going, going, killing, killing, killing,’” Trump recalled.
His speech was briefly interrupted by an opposition lawmaker holding up a piece of paper that read “Recognize Palestine.” At least one person was escorted out of the room.
President Trump was introduced to Congress by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who paid tribute to various solidarity activities with Israel.
“Trump is the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu added that when Trump was re-elected as U.S. president last year, “everything changed” in the U.S. attitude toward Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli prime minister thanked President Trump for his “unrelenting help” in securing the return of the remaining hostages, some of whom were among 251 captured during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.
“He’s not the easiest guy to deal with, but that’s what makes him great,” Trump continued.
The ceasefire in Gaza went into effect Friday morning after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first step of Trump’s 20-point peace plan. The next steps are still being negotiated.
Trump said the ceasefire would remain in place and that a “peace council” headed by him would be quickly formed to administer the territory.
“I will dedicate myself to peace,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a speech to parliament.
He also welcomed other key U.S. officials to the Knesset, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, along with President Trump.
In particular, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, received great praise from Israeli lawmakers for their role in brokering the ceasefire. Kushner was accompanied by his wife, Ivanka Trump.
Trump’s audience members wore red hats. Instead of President Trump’s signature slogan, ‘Make America Great Again,’ it says ‘Trump the Peace President.’
President Trump was told by the Speaker of Congress that “no one” deserves to receive next year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
However, some Israeli lawmakers who wanted the war in Gaza to continue did not attend.
