Jerusalem –U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a historic address to Israel’s Knesset on Monday, declaring that Israel has achieved all it can through military means and must now seize what he called a “narrow but powerful” opportunity to secure lasting peace in the Middle East. Speaking after two years of war with Hamas and clashes with Hezbollah and Iran, Trump told Israeli lawmakers that “generations from now, this will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change,” urging the country to transform its battlefield victories into a diplomatic breakthrough. “Israel, with our help, has won all that they can by force of arms,” he said to repeated standing ovations. “You’ve won. I mean, you’ve won. 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.”
Trump announced his intention to assist in rebuilding Gaza, devastated by years of conflict, and called on Palestinians to “turn forever from the path of terror and violence.” In a surprising diplomatic gesture, he also extended an olive branch to Iran — the same country whose nuclear sites he ordered bombed earlier this year — declaring that “the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.” His remarks came just hours before he was set to travel to Egypt for a major summit in Sharm el-Sheikh involving more than 20 nations to discuss Gaza’s future and a potential new regional framework for peace. Running late after an extended Knesset session, Trump quipped, “They might not be there by the time I get there, but we’ll give it a shot.”
Trump’s visit coincided with the release of 20 hostages under the first phase of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The truce calls for the release of all remaining hostages, the freeing of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, a surge of humanitarian aid, and the partial pullback of Israeli forces from Gaza’s main cities. Families of released hostages were present in the Knesset, and Trump is expected to meet some at Sheba Medical Center. Lawmakers hailed him as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” and some wore red hats reading “Trump, The Peace President.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s leadership, declaring, “Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace. And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.”
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that “the war is over” and expressed confidence that the ceasefire would hold, saying people are “tired of it.” He credited his administration’s support for Israel’s strikes against Iranian proxies and Hezbollah for creating the conditions for this moment, along with growing willingness among Arab and Muslim states to engage in resolving the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Trump once envisioned Gaza becoming “the Riviera of the Middle East,” he acknowledged the scale of destruction, describing it as “like a demolition site,” but expressed hope to one day “put my feet on it.”
After his visit to Israel, Trump will join Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to lead the Sharm el-Sheikh summit. The talks aim to address Gaza’s postwar governance, reconstruction, border openings, and Hamas’s disarmament — contentious issues that could determine whether the fragile truce holds or the conflict resumes. Much of Gaza lies in ruins, with its two million residents facing severe shortages and famine-like conditions. As part of the ceasefire, Israel has agreed to reopen five border crossings to allow food and aid to flow in, while roughly 200 U.S. troops will join international partners to monitor and support the agreement on the ground.
Trump’s whirlwind Middle East tour represents his most ambitious attempt yet to reshape the region’s future. Whether his bold declaration of victory leads to a sustainable peace remains uncertain, but his message to Israel was unequivocal: the time for war is over — the time for peace has begun.