Donald Trump has hailed the Gaza peace deal as one of the greatest achievements of his career.
He said the agreement, which includes the release of Israeli hostages, marks a lasting step toward peace.
US President Donald Trump has hailed the newly reached Gaza peace deal as one of the most significant achievements of his political career, describing it as “the biggest thing I was ever involved in.”
Trump made the remark aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, October 12, while travelling to Israel ahead of the formal signing and celebrations marking the agreement’s implementation.
The accord, which aligns with the planned release of the last 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas, is intended to bring an end to the prolonged Gaza conflict that, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, has claimed more than 67,000 Palestinian lives.
Trump is scheduled to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, on Monday morning, delivering what he called a message of “love and peace for eternity.” His itinerary also includes meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and families of the freed hostages.
The president said he watched Saturday’s rally in Tel Aviv calling for the hostages’ release, an event attended by his daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and envoy Steve Witkoff. He described the event as “an incredible rally,” noting the loud cheers for his name and the reported boos that followed when Netanyahu’s name was mentioned.
Trump expressed optimism about an international conference scheduled for later on Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, which is expected to reaffirm global support for the peace agreement. He said the range of nations invited reflects “the world coming together behind peace.”
While acknowledging that Egypt handled the guest list, Trump said he was unsure why Netanyahu would not be attending but called the expected presence of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas “a very good sign.”
The president further claimed that the success of the Gaza peace deal was partly due to his earlier decision to authorize strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites in June. According to him, weakening Iran’s influence reduced Hamas’s leverage and encouraged regional unity.
“Once the Iran problem was dealt with, everyone the Arab nations, Muslim nations, and Israel came together to make this peace happen,” Trump state.
