US President Donald Trump, joined by leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, signed a landmark declaration to bring peace to Gaza during a summit at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
“A new and beautiful day is rising and now the rebuilding begins,” Trump said, praising regional leaders who helped secure the truce between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier, addressing the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, Trump told lawmakers, “the long and painful nightmare is finally over,” to cheers from the audience.
As part of the first phase of Trump’s peace plan, Israel will release 250 Palestinian prisoners along with more than 1,700 others held during the two-year military operations in Gaza.
This move is in exchange for the last 20 living Israeli hostages captured by Hamas, while the bodies of 28 deceased hostages are also set to be returned.
In Egypt, Trump was seen smiling alongside President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and more than 20 international leaders attending the summit. “Everybody's happy,” Trump said, adding, “I have done big deals before, but this has taken off like a rocket ship. This took 3,000 years to get to this point, can you believe it? And it's going to hold up too.”
Following the ceremony, President al-Sisi awarded Trump the Order of the Nile, a gold necklace considered Egypt’s highest honour. Al-Sisi described the event as a “historic milestone that ends an agonising chapter.”
Among the attending leaders was Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who was recently prevented by the US from attending the UN General Assembly in New York. Questions remain over the role the Palestinian Authority might play in Gaza, although Trump confirmed that the second phase of peace talks is already under way.
During his Knesset speech, Trump called the moment “the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” echoing the language he used during his first presidency when Israel signed peace deals with other Arab nations.
“At last, not only for Israelis but also Palestinians, the long and painful nightmare is finally over,” he said, as politicians chanted “Trump, Trump, Trump.”
Trump described the ceasefire as “the most challenging breakthrough of them all, the most challenging breakthrough maybe ever,” and indicated his next focus would be the Russia-Ukraine war.
He recounted conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning him against prolonging the military campaign in Gaza: “I said, 'Bibi you're going to be remembered for this far more than if you kept this thing going, going, going, kill, kill, kill.'”
Introducing Trump to parliament, Netanyahu called him the “greatest friend” Israel has ever had in the White House.
“Everything changed in the American attitude to Israel's military campaign in Gaza when Trump was re-elected as US president last year,” he said, thanking Trump for his “unremitting help” in securing the hostages’ release.
Trump also praised Netanyahu, saying, “He's not the easiest guy to deal with, but that's what makes him great.”
Key US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, joined Trump at the Knesset, while Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner received loud applause for their role in negotiating the ceasefire. Kushner attended with his wife Ivanka Trump.
Many audience members wore red caps reading “Trump the Peace President” instead of his usual slogan. The parliamentary speaker noted that there was “no-one” more deserving of the next Nobel Peace Prize.
Some Israeli lawmakers opposed to ending the war in Gaza did not attend, while Trump’s speech was briefly interrupted by an opposition member holding a sign saying “Recognise Palestine.”
The ceasefire in Gaza took effect Friday morning following Israel and Hamas’ agreement on the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Trump has promised the truce will hold and said a “board of peace” will soon be set up to administer the territory.