5 Trump quotes from Israel and Egypt

Now that Donald Trump has addressed Israel’s Knesset then signed a deal in Egypt he says will reshape the region — all on a Monday — here are five quotes you need to know. 

1. “The skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a holy land that is finally at peace”

Per his style, the president eventually went off script (with jokes about soldiers from central casting), but his more poetic opening captured the relief out on the streets from Jaffa to Jabalia, as hostage and prisoner families celebrated in real time.

It wasn’t all cheers, though: inside the chamber, two Israeli lawmakers yelled “terrorist” at the US president while unfurling a “recognise Palestine” banner. And inside Gaza, Hamas was busy carrying out public executions of alleged collaborators, while vast crowds of locals returned to their ruined homes.

2. “Even to Iran […], the hand of friendship and cooperation is open. I'm telling you, they want to make a deal”

At one point, Trump declared, “it's time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”

How? Whereas the US president only mentioned Hamas three times, he name-dropped the group’s Iranian sponsors 18 times, including a ~four-minute segment recapping both the US-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, plus the need for Tehran to recognise Israel’s right to exist. Translation: he argues a changed Middle East requires a changed Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran’s own messages have been mixed: its foreign minister (Araghchi) cited US airstrikes and sanctions in declining Egypt’s invite to the Gaza summit (see below), though Araghchi also told state TV on Saturday, "if we receive a reasonable, balanced, and fair proposal from the Americans for negotiations, we will certainly consider it".

3. “Hey, I have an idea. Mister President, why don't you give him a pardon?” 

With the war over, Bibi’s 2020-era corruption trial will now resume, including on claims he pressured Israeli outlets, disrupted legal proceedings, and accepted luxury gifts.

So, declaring him “one of the greatest wartime leaders”, Trump publicly called for Bibi to get clemency, while pointing at the Israeli president (Herzog) with the power to grant it.

And Trump didn’t hold back on the charges: “Cigars and champagne, who the hell cares?”

While brief and almost light, Trump’s remarks were Netanyahu’s dream, given the genuine standing the US president now enjoys across a polarised Israeli society.

Now, over to the Gaza peace conference in Egypt ✈️

4. “We hereby commit to the resolution of future disputes through diplomatic engagement and negotiation rather than through force or protracted conflict”

If that doesn’t sound like Trump, you’re right — it’s text from The Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity (pictured above), which the US president signed alongside his counterparts from mediators Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

But two big signatures were missing from the bottom line: Israel and Hamas. Israel’s Netanyahu scored an invite from Trump, until Turkey’s Erdogan reportedly found out mid-flight, working the phones from his jet above Egypt until Netanyahu quietly withdrew.

Ditto, Hamas says it was represented on the day via the above mediators, but the fact none of the combatants signed the deal has revived doubts around their commitment.

Meanwhile, the fact ~30 other world leaders were there just to watch the signature is a reminder how much this war has rocked capitals everywhere: we’re talking leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the UN. Weirdly, even the FIFA boss was there, pulling some kind of reverse Salt Bae.

5. "This took 3,000 years to get to this point, can you believe it? And it's going to hold up too”

There are still lots of unanswered questions around this deal, like whether Hamas will disarm, whether Israel will fully withdraw, and whether Trump’s international stabilisation force will get legs. But for now, the US leader is leaning into the history of getting this far.

Meanwhile, Israel’s defence minister is already accusing Hamas of breaching the deal, after the group announced it was only returning four of the promised 28 dead hostages.