Trump hails Netanyahu in Israel after hostage release, declares ‘historic dawn of a new Middle East’

“Thank you very much, Bibi. Great job,” Trump said, calling the moment “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”

He hailed the ceasefire and hostage release as the end of a devastating two-year war and the beginning of a “golden age for Israel,” adding that peace in the region was now within reach.

“This is not only the end of a war,” Trump said to standing ovations from Israeli lawmakers. “Today, the skies are calm, the guns are silent, and the sun rises on a holy land that is finally at peace.”

The deal, which Trump claimed had “effectively ended the war,” was lauded by the US president as a “monumental victory for peace.”

He thanked mediators from the Arab and Muslim world, saying their role was vital in pressing Hamas to release the hostages.

“We had a lot of help from people you wouldn’t suspect,” Trump said. “It’s an incredible triumph for Israel and the world.”

During the speech, Trump reiterated his past claim of ending “eight wars in eight months,” asserting, “Everyone thought I was going to be brutal. But my personality is about stopping war.”

The event was briefly disrupted when two lawmakers, Ayman Odeh and Ofer Cassif, held up a “genocide” sign and shouted slogans before being escorted out by security.

Hamas freed the hostages as part of a ceasefire that paused nearly two years of conflict, which left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and much of Gaza in ruins.

The war began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.

“Never forget, and never again,” Trump said, remembering the victims of the Hamas assault.

He also thanked Netanyahu personally, saying, “Now you can be a bit nicer, Bibi, because you’re not at war.”

Calling Netanyahu “not easy to deal with, but great,” Trump praised the Israeli leader’s “courage to end the war when he did.”

In a surprising note, Trump extended an olive branch to Iran, a country he bombed earlier this year during its brief conflict with Israel, saying, “The hand of friendship and cooperation is always open. We’re ready when you are.”

Israeli Parliament Speaker Amir Ohana endorsed Trump for next year’s Nobel Peace Prize, telling him, “There is no one more deserving than you, Mr. President.”

Later in the day, Trump is scheduled to travel to Egypt for a summit with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi and more than 20 world leaders to discuss the reconstruction of Gaza and the region’s future.

The ceasefire is expected to allow a major influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where large parts of the territory remain in ruins and famine conditions persist.

The war displaced around 90% of Gaza’s two million residents and sparked global protests over civilian suffering and allegations of genocide, charges Israel continues to deny.