As 20 hostages returned alive from Hamas captivity in an emotional homecoming, another dramatic scene unfolded: the visit of US President Donald Trump to Israel, with a speech delivered by the man widely regarded as the architect of the agreement that brought the war in Gaza to an end.
In his speech to the Knesset, Trump said:
"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.
This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.
It is an incredible triumph for Israel and the world to have all of these nations working together as partners in peace. Generations from now, this will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change.
The cruelty of October 7th struck to the core of humanity itself. The United States of America grieved alongside you, and we mourned for our own citizens who were so viciously taken. To all the families whose lives were forever changed by the atrocities of that day, and to all the people of Israel, please know that America joins you in those two everlasting vows—NEVER FORGET, and NEVER AGAIN.
As the dust settles, the smoke fades, the debris is removed, and the ashes clear from the air, the day breaks on a region TRANSFORMED—and a beautiful and much brighter future appears suddenly within our reach.
Israel has won all that can be won by force of arms. Now, it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.
Together, we have shown that Peace is not just a hope we can dream about, it is a reality we can build upon—day by day, person by person, nation by nation.
It should now be clear to everyone throughout this region that decades of fomenting terrorism and extremism, jihadism and anti-Semitism have not worked—they have backfired completely and totally. From Gaza to Iran, those bitter hatreds have delivered nothing but misery, suffering, and failure."
