In a landmark speech before Israel’s Knesset, President Donald Trump hailed the release of 20 Israeli hostages under a ceasefire deal he helped broker as “the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” declaring that peace had finally returned to the Holy Land after decades of turmoil.
“This will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change, and change very much for the better,” Trump told lawmakers to thunderous applause. Many in attendance wore red hats reading “Trump The Peace President,” a symbol of gratitude for his role in mediating the truce.
Speaking before an audience that gave him multiple standing ovations, Trump said, “We gather on a day of profound joy, of soaring hope, of renewed faith, and above all, a day to give our deepest thanks to the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
He continued, “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.”
The speech was briefly interrupted when a protester shouted from the gallery and was swiftly removed. Trump responded with characteristic humor, saying, “That was very efficient,” prompting laughter from the audience.
Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, praised Trump’s efforts, calling him “the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House.” Netanyahu added, “No American president has ever done more for Israel, and it’s not even close. When Trump was elected, overnight everything changed.”
The moment capped a historic day for Israel and its allies, with Trump’s peace deal, and the hostage release that followed, marking what many are calling the most significant diplomatic breakthrough in the region in decades.