US President Donald Trump, speaking in the Knesset on Monday, urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt a softer tone following the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. “You can be nicer now, Bibi, you’re not at war,” Trump remarked, using Netanyahu’s childhood nickname, as he addressed Israeli lawmakers just hours after the agreement was finalised.
Trump lauded both Netanyahu and himself for the breakthrough, describing the deal as one that “effectively ends the war and opens the door to durable peace” in West Asia.
The two leaders have been in frequent contact during the early months of Netanyahu’s second term, including during heightened tensions with Iran earlier this year. Trump also claimed credit for helping to broker that ceasefire, though it followed a period of friction when his directives were reportedly ignored. At the time, Trump had reportedly demanded, “Get me Bibi,” before an uneasy truce was reached.
“Peace is no longer just a hope… it is a reality. Israel, with US help, has won,” Trump declared during his speech.
The ceasefire came alongside the release of 20 hostages held by Hamas since the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Seven were handed over to Red Cross representatives in the first group, followed by 13 more. In return, Israel released several Palestinian prisoners from a facility in the West Bank.
Trump is currently visiting Israel to mark what he called a turning point. “This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” he said, crediting his administration for its role in ending the conflict and securing the hostages’ freedom.
He also predicted a “golden age for Israel”, comparing its future to what he claimed is the current state of the United States: “just like the USA right now”.
Closing his remarks, Trump proclaimed, “And 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, a land and a region that will live, God willing, in peace for all eternity.”
His address was met with a standing ovation lasting several minutes, with many Israeli lawmakers later declaring, “The world needs more Trumps.”