President Donald Trump has declared that “a new age of faith and hope and of God” has begun, as he renewed calls for lasting peace in the Middle East.
In an emotional address to Israel’s Knesset filled with biblical references, he marked the end of the Israel–Palestine war and celebrated the release of hostages. Trump also praised Israel’s new peace deal as “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
Speaking in Jerusalem, Trump said: “...we gather on a day of profound joy, of soaring hope, of renewed faith—and, above all, a day to give our deepest thanks to the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
He celebrated the return of 20 hostages and the repatriation of the remains of 28 others, declaring: “After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, they are returning to the glorious embrace of their families… the sun rises on a holy land that is finally at peace.”
Trump called for deeper cooperation through the Abraham Accords—agreements first established under his previous administration—and revealed that several Gulf states had pledged substantial funds toward Gaza’s reconstruction. He also announced plans for a new international “Board of Peace” to coordinate rebuilding efforts across the region.
Turning to Iran, Trump urged its leaders to renounce terrorism and recognize Israel’s right to exist, saying: “Neither the United States nor Israel bears the people of Iran any hostility. We merely want to live in peace.”
Quoting Scripture, the president said: “The God who once dwelled among His people in this city still calls us to ‘turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.’”
He thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his leadership, calling him “a man of exceptional courage and patriotism,” and expressed appreciation to Arab and Muslim nations that helped secure the release of hostages.
Despite a brief protest interruption, the president’s speech drew repeated applause as he concluded: “Generations from now, this will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change—and change very much for the better.”
