Donald Trump has vowed to use the power of his presidency to ensure that Israel recognises it has achieved all that it can by force of arms, and begin an age of cooperation in the Middle East that may ultimately extend as far as peace with Iran. In a speech to the Israeli Knesset, made hours after the last remaining Israeli hostages were released from Gaza, Trump hailed the 'historic dawn of a new Middle East' and an end to the 'long and painful nightmare' of the Gaza war.
Trump declared: 'This is not only the end of war – this is the end of an age of terror and death. Israel, with our help, has won all that it can by force of arms. Now it’s time to translate those victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.' He insisted that Israel's military victory was complete and that he would neither allow Israel to reopen the conflict with Hamas nor permit Hamas to re‑establish itself inside Gaza.
Trump then flew to Egypt to attend a summit of more than 20 world leaders dedicated to endorsing his peace plan, the rebuilding of Gaza and a limited form of Palestinian self‑rule. The guarantors of the peace agreement – the US, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt – signed a comprehensive document setting out their responsibilities in ensuring peace and an eventual path to Palestinian self‑rule. The summit was jointly hosted by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al‑Sisi in Sharm el‑Sheikh.
Trump told reporters that phase two of his Gaza plan, concerning reconstruction, was already under way, and that the US was asking wealthy Arab states to commit large sums to a place he described as 'debris times 10'. Estimates for reconstruction costs have reached more than $30bn. Trump predicted: 'Gaza will be demobilised, Hamas will be disarmed, and Israel’s security will no longer be threatened.'
Trump also sent a thinly coded message to Israel, saying it had been losing public support due to its reliance on force. He indicated he would pressure Arab states to sign the Abraham accords 'quickly and without games', and insisted that Iran was also ready for peace. European diplomats privately warned that the speed of the ceasefire means plans for an international stabilisation force and a Palestinian civil police force need to be accelerated. Hamas has said it is willing not to be part of a new technocratic government but insists it will only disarm on certain conditions to a Palestinian‑led force.
