US President Donald Trump and the leaders of Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey have signed a declaration for bringing peace to Gaza at a summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. A new and beautiful day is rising and now the rebuilding begins, said Trump, praising regional leaders who helped cement the truce between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier, in his address to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, the president told cheering lawmakers that the long and painful nightmare is finally over. Israel is releasing 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 other Palestinians detained during the two-year military operations in Gaza in exchange for the last 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
The exchange, the first phase of Trump's peace plan, is also due to include the return of the bodies of 28 dead Israeli hostages. In Egypt, Trump was all smiles in the company of Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and more than 20 other leaders from across the globe, saying, Everybody's happy.
Trump characterized the achievement as a rapid success, boasting about the monumental progress made, saying it took 3,000 years to arrive at this peace agreement, and highlighted the historical significance of the moment.
Following the summit, President al-Sisi honored Trump with the Order of the Nile, Egypt's highest honor. Al-Sisi described this day as a historic milestone that ends an agonizing chapter. However, as the celebration unfolds, questions remain regarding the role of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and the next steps in the peace negotiation process.
In his Knesset address, Trump spoke of a historic dawn of a new Middle East. His sentiment echoed past phrases used during his presidency that facilitated landmark agreements between Israel and Arab states. The ceasefire agreement, orchestrated by Trump's administration, signals a pivotal moment. Despite current celebrations, the path ahead holds potential complexities as further negotiations lay on the horizon.
Earlier, in his address to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, the president told cheering lawmakers that the long and painful nightmare is finally over. Israel is releasing 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 other Palestinians detained during the two-year military operations in Gaza in exchange for the last 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
The exchange, the first phase of Trump's peace plan, is also due to include the return of the bodies of 28 dead Israeli hostages. In Egypt, Trump was all smiles in the company of Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and more than 20 other leaders from across the globe, saying, Everybody's happy.
Trump characterized the achievement as a rapid success, boasting about the monumental progress made, saying it took 3,000 years to arrive at this peace agreement, and highlighted the historical significance of the moment.
Following the summit, President al-Sisi honored Trump with the Order of the Nile, Egypt's highest honor. Al-Sisi described this day as a historic milestone that ends an agonizing chapter. However, as the celebration unfolds, questions remain regarding the role of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and the next steps in the peace negotiation process.
In his Knesset address, Trump spoke of a historic dawn of a new Middle East. His sentiment echoed past phrases used during his presidency that facilitated landmark agreements between Israel and Arab states. The ceasefire agreement, orchestrated by Trump's administration, signals a pivotal moment. Despite current celebrations, the path ahead holds potential complexities as further negotiations lay on the horizon.
