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President Donald Trump delivered a historic address to the Israeli Knesset on Monday, declaring the release of all 20 living Israeli hostages held in Hamas captivity since the October 7, 2023 attack, as the "historic dawn of a new Middle East" and the end of an "age of terror and death." He then traveled to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he signed a peace agreement with regional leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, marking the formalization of the Gaza ceasefire.
Nearly 2000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners were released in a prisoner swap according to the peace plan. About 28 dead Israeli hostages will also be released to Israel. Hamas militants are reportedly still searching for the bodies displaced due to heavy Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
The speech to the Israeli Knesset, marks the successful conclusion of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Trump addressed the Knesset immediately after the release of the hostages, declaring, "The hostages are back!" and praising Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "great leader" and "one of the greatest" wartime leaders, while also urging Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu.
The U.S. President hailed the moment as the "historic dawn of a new Middle East" and declared the war was over, urging Israel to focus on peace and prosperity. "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... This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East," he said.
During his Knesset speech, Trump emphasized that Israel had won "all that they can by force of arms" and called for a transition from warfare to peace, stating that the war in Gaza was over and that the region was entering a new era of stability and prosperity.
Israeli leaders responded with overwhelming praise, with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana declaring Trump "the greatest friend Israel ever had in the White House" and nominating him for the Israel Prize, Israel's highest civilian honor.
Trump's speech to the Knesset—only the second by a sitting U.S. president after Ronald Reagan in 1982—unfolded in a packed plenum, with Israeli lawmakers, dignitaries, and a notable guests including the U.S. Secretaries of State and War Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth respectively, and Miriam Adelson, the Jewish American billionaire widow of late casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, in the front row.
The address, lasting about 45 minutes, ended with chants of "Trump! Trump!" from the chamber, blending domestic Israeli politics with Trump's foreign policy swagger.
During his address, Trump praised Adelson, highlighting her immense financial support for his 2024 campaign and her deep loyalty to Israel, noting she has "$60 billion in the bank" and "loves Israel." He recounted her refusal to answer whether she loved the United States more than Israel, implying her allegiance lay with Israel.
The U.S. President said, "I'm gonna get her in trouble with this, but I actually asked her once, I said, ‘So Miriam, I know you love Israel. What do you love more, the United States or Israel?’ She refused to answer. That means—that might mean Israel, I must say." Trump added, "She loves Israel."
Trump credited Adelson and her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, with playing a crucial role in shaping U.S. policy toward Israel, including the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the U.S. embassy move in 2017, and the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019.
Adelson, an Israeli-born physician and the fifth-richest woman in the world, owns the Dallas Mavericks and has a net worth estimated at $35 billion. She donated $106 million to Preserve America, her pro-Trump super PAC, in 2024.
Trump noted that the Adelsons had more trips to the White House than anyone else and joked that Sheldon Adelson would "come in through the window" to pressure him on Israel policy, underscoring their extraordinary influence.
Miriam, born in Tel Aviv in 1945, is a physician and philanthropist who became a major political donor after marrying Sheldon Adelson in 1991. After Sheldon’s death in 2021, she assumed majority control of Las Vegas Sands, which operates major casinos in Singapore and Macao.
The Adelsons have contributed over $600 million to Republican candidates in the U.S. since 2015, with Miriam being the third-largest donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign
Adelson has been a vocal advocate for strong U.S.-Israel ties and harsh measures against Palestinians and their supporters, calling foreign supporters of Hamas "our enemies" in a 2023 column for Israel Hayom, a newspaper she owns.
Trump also used the Knesset address to urge President Herzog to pardon Adelson's ally Prime Minister Netanyahu, who faces corruption charges, a move that sparked political debate within Israel. "Give him a break... He's not the easiest guy, but he's done a fantastic job," Trump said.
Video of Trump's remarks about Adelson went viral on social media with many arguing thatAdelson's refusal to answer the question highlights the dangers of citizens with dual loyalties, amassing wealth and politicaal power. Jews have been historically accused of not being patriotic or loyal to their host nations.
After the Knesset speech, Trump flew to Egypt where he signed the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement in Sharm el-Sheikh, alongside Fattah el-Sisi, Erdogan, and Al Thani, though the document's contents were not made public.
Trump hailed the deal as a turning point, describing it as a "new beginning for an entire, beautiful Middle East" and a "once-in-a-lifetime chance" for regional unity and prosperity. He described the ceasefire agreement as a "historic" achievement, calling it the answer to the prayers of millions and a moment when "what everybody said was impossible" had been accomplished.
"With the historic agreement we've just signed, those prayers of millions have finally been answered... Together, we have achieved what everybody said was impossible. At long last, we have PEACE in the Middle East," Trump said.
The U.S. President described the signing as a pivotal moment in Middle Eastern history, stating it marked the "end of the age of terror and death" and the beginning of a "golden age" for the region. He praised the roles of Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt in brokering the deal, calling el-Sisi a "fantastic man" and commending the regional cooperation that led to the breakthrough.
Trump also used the occasion to suggest a potential peace deal with Iran, signaling a broader regional vision to expand the Abraham Accords, and called for the reconstruction of Gaza to be linked to its demilitarization to prevent future violence .
The signing ceremony was attended by leaders from over 20 countries including U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, with Trump and el-Sisi co-chairing the summit; the document signed was not made public, and there was notable absence of both Israeli and Hamas leaders from the ceremony.
Contrary reports of “the holiday or ultra-Orthodox pressure,” being the reason for his absence, Netanyahu reportedly canceled his trip to the Sharm el-Sheikh due to President Erdogan’s objection. The Turkish President President while mid-flight, warned el-Sisi that his plane “would not land if Netanyahu attended.”
Turkish officials also told the U.S. they were “angry it wasn’t coordinated with them." After consultations with American and Israeli officials, Netanyahu withdrew, and Erdogan’s plane landed.
The summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, was marked by significant pageantry, including a large family photo of world leaders and the presentation of Egypt's highest state honor, the Order of the Nile, to Trump.