US president says he ended ‘granddaddy’ of wars, as leaders sign 462-word memo
The International Committee of the Red Cross said it would take time to secure the return of the remaining deceased hostages, as finding them in the rubble of Gaza would be a “massive challenge”.
Trump called for the speedy return of the bodies, posting on social media on Wednesday (AEST): “A big burden has been lifted, but the job IS NOT DONE. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED! Phase Two begins right NOW!!!”
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With the final 20 living hostages in Gaza reunited with their families in Israel on Monday, and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli jails in return, attention has shifted to the next steps for Gaza. Many questions remain over Trump’s 20-point peace plan, including who will govern the wartorn territory and oversee its recovery from the brutal war.
In Egypt, Trump headlined a hastily convened summit of world leaders on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), including from Qatar, Turkey and the host, Egypt, who all signed a document committing to the “Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity” in the Middle East.
The 462-word text, later released by the White House, said the leaders acknowledged the Middle East’s cycle of violence could not continue that future disputes must be resolved through diplomacy and negotiation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not attend the summit, citing a Jewish holiday, despite earlier reports that he would. Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, which exercises partial control over the occupied West Bank, attended and shook hands with Trump.
The US president referred to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as “the granddaddy of them all”, suggesting 3000 years of fighting in the Middle East was at an end.
“This is the day that people across the region and around the world have been working, striving, hoping and praying for,” Trump said.
“Together, we’ve achieved what everybody said was impossible – at long last, we have peace in the Middle East. We’ve heard it for many years, but nobody thought we could ever get there, and now we’re there.”
There was little public discussion about the next phase of Trump’s plan, which calls for a temporary, apolitical Palestinian committee to provide services in Gaza, overseen by a “Board of Peace” and a foreign peacekeeping force that will work with Jordan, Egypt and Israel.
How Gaza will be rebuilt is still unclearCredit: AP
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said Trump’s plan was a historic milestone that created the “essential political horizon” for a two-state solution, which was the only way to realise the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.
On board Air Force One back to the US, Trump did not express a clear view on a Palestinian state, saying he was only talking about rebuilding Gaza. The peace plan says the conditions for Palestinian statehood may finally be met when Gaza’s redevelopment advances and the Palestinian Authority executes significant reform.
Earlier, Trump received a hero’s welcome when he became the fourth US president to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, where he staked his claim as a global peacemaker, congratulated Israel for winning the war against Hamas, and foreshadowed a possible deal with Iran in a loose, colourful speech.
Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu showed courage by agreeing to end the war now, after two years, rather than pursuing the complete destruction of Hamas and Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023 attacks that killed 1200 Israelis and took 250 hostages.
He revealed he had counselled Netanyahu against holding out for more, suggesting that Israel was losing its remaining goodwill from the world as the war dragged on. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, including Hamas combatants and civilians.
“I would say to Bibi [Netanyahu]: Bibi, it’s now time,” Trump told the MPs. “If you would have gone on three or four more years, keep fighting, fighting, fighting, it was getting bad, it was getting heated,” Trump said.
“I said: Bibi, you’re going to be remembered for this far more than if you kept this thing going, going, going, kill, kill, kill. It would not be the same.”
Many of Trump’s political opponents praised him for achieving the ceasefire, including Joe Biden, who said the road was not easy and he was deeply grateful the day had come. Former Democratic president Bill Clinton also said Trump deserved credit, along with Qatar and other regional actors.
Acting Australian Prime Minister Richard Marles told Sky News it was an “incredible achievement” by Trump and one that would be remembered by history, and that the president deserved a tremendous amount of credit.
Footage released by the Israeli government captured the moments the 20 freed hostages reunited with their overjoyed families. There was also celebration in the streets of Gaza as buses brought home some of the 2000 prisoners released by Israel as part of the accord.
“Praise be to God, our Lord, who has honoured us with this release and this joy,” said Mahmoud Fayez, who was returned to Gaza after being detained early last year in an Israeli raid on the main Shifa Hospital.
Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said watching Israeli hostages reunite with their loved ones was a beautiful thing. “This is one for the ages,” he told Nine’s Today program.
But circumstances were more difficult for the families of 28 deceased hostages. Contrary to an understanding that most, if not all, the bodies would be immediately returned, Hamas handed over only four on Monday (Tuesday AEST).
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Israel should suspend the agreement until all remains were returned. “An agreement must be honoured by both sides,” it said. “If Hamas does not fulfil their part, Israel should not fulfil its part either.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Hamas of failing to honour its commitments, warning on X: “Any delay or deliberate avoidance will be considered a gross violation of the agreement and will be responded to accordingly.”
Trump said the ceasefire and hostage deal would not have been possible without the US’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, which degraded or destroyed a source of major risk for Israel and other neighbours. Trump also expressed confidence about a new peace deal with Iran.
“We are ready when you are, and it will be the best decision that Iran has ever made,” he said at the Knesset.
Full text of the ‘Trump Peace Agreement’
We, the undersigned, welcome the truly historic commitment and implementation by all parties to the Trump Peace Agreement, ending more than two years of profound suffering and loss — opening a new chapter for the region defined by hope, security, and a shared vision for peace and prosperity.
We support and stand behind President Trump’s sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza and bring lasting peace to the Middle East. Together, we will implement this agreement in a manner that ensures peace, security, stability, and opportunity for all peoples of the region, including both Palestinians and Israelis.
We understand that lasting peace will be one in which both Palestinians and Israelis can prosper with their fundamental human rights protected, their security guaranteed, and their dignity upheld.
We affirm that meaningful progress emerges through cooperation and sustained dialogue, and that strengthening bonds among nations and peoples serves the enduring interests of regional and global peace and stability.
We recognise the deep historical and spiritual significance of this region to the faith communities whose roots are intertwined with the land of the region — Christianity, Islam, and Judaism among them. Respect for these sacred connections and the protection of their heritage sites shall remain paramount in our commitment to peaceful coexistence.
We are united in our determination to dismantle extremism and radicalisation in all its forms. No society can flourish when violence and racism is normalised, or when radical ideologies threaten the fabric of civil life. We commit to addressing the conditions that enable extremism and to promoting education, opportunity, and mutual respect as foundations for lasting peace.
We hereby commit to the resolution of future disputes through diplomatic engagement and negotiation rather than through force or protracted conflict. We acknowledge that the Middle East cannot endure a persistent cycle of prolonged warfare, stalled negotiations, or the fragmentary, incomplete, or selective application of successfully negotiated terms. The tragedies witnessed over the past two years must serve as an urgent reminder that future generations deserve better than the failures of the past.
We seek tolerance, dignity, and equal opportunity for every person, ensuring this region is a place where all can pursue their aspirations in peace, security, and economic prosperity, regardless of race, faith, or ethnicity.
We pursue a comprehensive vision of peace, security, and shared prosperity in the region, grounded in the principles of mutual respect and shared destiny.
In this spirit, we welcome the progress achieved in establishing comprehensive and durable peace arrangements in the Gaza Strip, as well as the friendly and mutually beneficial relationship between Israel and its regional neighbours. We pledge to work collectively to implement and sustain this legacy, building institutional foundations upon which future generations may thrive together in peace.
We commit ourselves to a future of enduring peace.
Donald J. Trump, president of the United States of America
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, emir of the state of Qatar
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, president of the Republic of Turkey
with David Crowe, Reuters, AP
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