JERUSALEM, October 13 — US President Donald Trump said on Monday that a “long nightmare” had finally ended for both Israelis and Palestinians following the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Speaking before Israel’s Parliament, Trump said, “The forces of chaos that have plagued the region are totally defeated.” His address was briefly interrupted when a left-wing member of the Knesset heckled him; the lawmaker was promptly expelled.
Trump described the timing of the Gaza deal as critical, noting that Israel’s military operations had become “bad and heated.” Referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said, “I said, Bibi, you’re going to be remembered for this far more than if you kept this thing going, going, going — kill, kill. I just want to congratulate you for having the courage to say, ‘that’s it, we’ve won and now let’s enjoy our lives.’”
The US President also called on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for alleged corruption. Trump dismissed the charges, saying, “Cigars and some champagne — who the hell cares?” Netanyahu denies the allegations.
Trump arrived in Israel earlier on Monday to commemorate the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage release, which he said effectively ended the recent war and opened the door to a durable peace in the Middle East. Upon his arrival, a convoy transported the first hostages released by Hamas into Israeli territory as part of the deal.
On the tarmac, President Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu greeted Trump while a military band played. Crowds at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, a site of continuous demonstrations over the past two years of conflict, cheered the American president.
“The war is over, OK?” Trump told reporters traveling with him aboard Air Force One. “I think people are tired of it,” he added, stressing his belief that the ceasefire would hold.
Trump credited the ceasefire to his administration’s support of Israel’s campaign against Iranian-backed groups, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. A White House statement said momentum toward peace is also building as Arab and Muslim states show renewed interest in resolving the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and in some cases, strengthening relations with the United States.
