‘Long and painful nightmare finally over,’ Trump tells Israel’s parliament

After helping broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, US President Donald Trump told cheering Israeli lawmakers that the “long and painful nightmare is finally over.”

In the first speech by a US president since 2008, Trump said the day would mark “the moment when things started to change, and changed for the better” in the Middle East.

Trump’s speech at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, came on the day that the last 20 hostages held in the Palestinian region were released by Hamas.

Israel will release 250 Palestinian detainees and more than 1,700 Palestinians detained during two years of military operations in Gaza.

During his whirlwind trip to the region, Trump will also attend a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and other world leaders.

Hearing politicians chanting “Trump, Trump, Trump” in the Knesset, the American president claimed that the region was experiencing the “historic dawn of a new Middle East.”

He repeated the words he used Israel signed historic agreements with many Arab countries during his first presidency.

“At last, the long and painful nightmare is over, not only for the Israelis but also for the Palestinians,” Trump said.

Trump said the ceasefire he brokered was “the toughest breakthrough of them all, maybe the toughest breakthrough ever.” He stated that his next focus would be to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Trump, reflecting on some of his recent conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said he felt Israel’s military action in Gaza had become “bad” and “heated.”

Trump’s speech was briefly interrupted when an opposition lawmaker held up a piece of paper saying “Recognize Palestine.” At least one person was removed from the room.

Trump was introduced to parliament by Netanyahu, who saluted his counterpart’s various acts of solidarity with Israel.

Netanyahu said Trump is Israel’s “greatest friend” in the White House.

Netanyahu added that “everything changed” in America’s attitude towards Israel’s military action in Gaza after Trump was re-elected as US president last year.

The Israeli prime minister thanked Trump for his “relentless assistance” in ensuring the return of the remaining hostages, who were part of the group of 251 captured during Hamas’ attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

Trump paid tribute to his counterpart, saying: “He’s not the easiest guy to deal with, but that’s what makes him great.”

The ceasefire in Gaza took effect Friday morning after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan. The next stages are still to be negotiated.

Trump said that the ceasefire will continue and that the “peace board” he will chair will be quickly established to manage the region.

In his speech to parliament, Netanyahu said he was “committed to this peace”.

In addition to Trump, other key US officials were also welcomed to the Knesset, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The names of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner received particularly loud applause from Israeli lawmakers for their roles in brokering the ceasefire. Kushner was accompanied by his wife Ivanka Trump.

Trump’s audience included red berets. Instead of Trump’s signature slogan, “Make America Great Again,” it reads “Peace President Trump.”

The House speaker told Trump that “there is no one” more deserving of next year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

However, some Israeli MPs who wanted the war in Gaza to continue did not attend the meeting.