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POTUS: “Two years ago… thousands of innocent Israeli civilians were attacked by terrorists in one of the most evil and heinous desecrations of innocent life the world has ever seen… please know that America joins you in those two everlasting vows—NEVER FORGET, and NEVER AGAIN.”

POTUS: “This is not only the End of a war—it is the END of an age of terror and death, and the BEGINNING of the age of faith, hope, and of God… This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”

TRUMP: “After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families… And after so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today, 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—a land and a region that will live, God willing, in peace for all eternity.”

Boruch Hashem matir assurim. Thank you to the One who releases captives!

It has been 738 days since the terrorist massacre carried out by Hamas on the holiday of Shmini Atzeres / Simchas Torah. Ever since that day, the families of the hostages along with Jews and others worldwide have prayed and pleaded for the release of every last captive.

Agudath Israel of America rejoices in the return of the hostages released today from the underground dungeons of Gaza as part of the deal orchestrated by President Trump. The torture and trauma to which they were subjected for two horrifying years are beyond description. We celebrate their release, just as we pray that Hashem send them healing, a complete and speedy recovery from the physical and emotional ills they suffered throughout their ordeal.

We express our deep appreciation to President Donald Trump for his leadership and for committing to see this plan through until the end by chairing the “Board of Peace” that will oversee the next stages.

Jews the world over are in the midst of celebrating Sukkos, which is known as “Zman Simchaseinu,” the season of our rejoicing. The return of the hostages at the culmination of the holiday, on the eve of Shmini Atzeres / Simchas Torah adds to our collective joy.

While public mourning is not permitted on the holiday, we all recognize that our joy is tempered by the knowledge that so many of the hostages’ families are preparing to bury their loved ones. Our hearts are with them during this difficult time.

While there are several aspects of the deal that will be challenging, we pray to the Almighty, the maker of peace in heaven and earth, that this effort will lead to true peace between Israel and all of its neighbors in the region.

{Matzav.com}

Fox News host Mark Levin gives his take on President Donald Trump’s peace deal between Israel and Hamas on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’

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Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu delivers a powerful address at the Knesset in Yerushalayim, thanking U.S. President Donald Trump for his role in ending the Gaza war and securing the release of Israeli hostages. Netanyahu called Trump “Israel’s greatest friend in the White House.”

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President Donald Trump delivered a fiery and wide-ranging speech to Israel’s Knesset just hours after Hamas freed the last 20 hostages and Israel began releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners under the historic U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal. Trump hailed peace efforts and pledged continued American leadership in the Middle East.

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In a stunning and unexpected moment during his historic Knesset address, President Donald Trump publicly asked Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in his ongoing corruption trial. The unprecedented appeal drew loud applause across the chamber.

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After being kidnapped on October 7, 2023, and surviving more than 2 years in Hamas captivity in Gaza, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Matan Zangauker, Eitan Mor and others are finally reunited with their families in Israel.

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Israeli hostages Eitan Abraham Mor, Ziv Berman and his twin brother, Gali Berman, waved at crowds as they were taken to hospitals following their release. The twin brothers were held hostage by Hamas and believed to have been separated during captivity, embraced for the first time in more than two years after they reunited on Monday. A cheering crowd also greeted Alon Ohel and Guy Gilboa-Dalal – who flashed a heart sign – as they were also transported to hospitals.

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Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh was murdered in Hamas captivity, released a heartfelt message on Monday as the remaining Israeli hostages were freed from Gaza, describing the moment as one of national renewal and shared relief.

“On day 738, the feeling across Israel is one of profound relief and heartfelt joy,” they said in a statement. “After months of pain, uncertainty, and prayer, the nation breathes together in gratitude and hope.”

Their words captured the emotion sweeping through Israel after more than two years of anguish and waiting. Hersh, a dual Israeli-American citizen, became a symbol of courage and resilience during his captivity, and his parents’ tireless advocacy kept his memory alive even as they fought for the return of others.

“To mark this day, many have turned to the timeless words of Psalm 126, the Shir HaMa’alot—a song of ascent recited in moments of redemption and return,” the couple added, quoting the verses:

“A song of ascents. When the Lord restores the captives of Zion, we will be like dreamers. Our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with songs of joy. Then the nations will say, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoice. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. Though he goes along weeping, carrying seed to sow, he will surely come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves.”

{Matzav.com}

Knesset members Ayman Odeh and Ofer Cassif, both representing the Chadash Party, were forcibly removed from the chamber on Monday while President Donald Trump was delivering his speech, during which he was commending envoy Steve Witkoff.

The two lawmakers interrupted the address by shouting “terrorist” at the president and waving signs that read “Recognize Palestine,” drawing loud boos from other MKs. As security guards escorted them out, Trump quipped, “That was very efficient,” prompting laughter from the plenum.

Following the incident, Odeh defended his actions, stating that he had “raised the most basic demand, a demand that the entire international community agrees upon: To recognize a Palestinian state.”

Cassif, too, justified the disruption, saying that he and Odeh “didn’t come to disturb, but to demand justice.”

Before the session began, Odeh had harshly criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, accusing the government of moral corruption. “The level of hypocrisy in the Knesset is unbearable,” he said.

“Elevating Netanyahu through unprecedented flattery, orchestrated by a choreographed band, does not absolve him or his government of the crimes against humanity committed in Gaza, nor the responsibility for the bloodshed of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian victims and thousands of Israeli victims,” Odeh continued.

He insisted that his presence in the Knesset that day was driven by principle rather than politics, adding, “But I am here solely because of the ceasefire and the overall deal.”

Concluding his remarks, Odeh declared, “And to all those living in the disconnected bubble of the Knesset: despite a full right-wing government, despite the cynical use of October 7, and despite the genocidal war, the government of crimes has failed to change the simple equation: There are two peoples here, and they will remain here.

“Only ending the occupation, and only recognizing the State of Palestine alongside Israel, will bring justice, peace, and security for all.”

{Matzav.com}

Silvia Cunio, the mother of hostages Ariel and David Cunio, finally saw her sons for the first time in nearly two years during a video call on Monday morning.

“I did not hear anything, but I saw them and it was enough for me to feel an abnormal amount of happiness,” Silvia told Walla after the emotional call.

She expressed relief at their condition, saying, “They seem perfectly fine to me, I thought they would be worse,” describing her astonishment at how strong they appeared after such prolonged captivity.

Overcome with emotion, she said, “It’s impossible to describe everything I’m going through. I’m already waiting to give them the biggest hug and kiss in the world.”

Silvia admitted that she had initially ignored the incoming call because she didn’t recognize the phone number, unaware it would connect her to her sons.

According to Army Radio, Hamas terrorists handed Ariel and David a phone so they could speak directly with their mother.

Meanwhile, freed hostage Matan Zangauker spoke by phone with his mother, Einav Zangauker, and his girlfriend, Ilana Gritzewsky, just hours after being released into IDF custody. It was the first time in two years that the three had heard each other’s voices.

Another freed hostage, Nimrod Cohen, also managed to speak with his mother on Monday morning following his release.

Several other hostages — Elkana Bohbot, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Bar Kupershtein, Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, and Eitan Horn — were able to contact their families ahead of their scheduled release.

{Matzav.com}

At least 27 people were killed over the past several days as violent confrontations broke out between anti-Hamas militias and Hamas fighters who returned to Gaza following Israel’s pullout.

Witnesses described chaos in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of southern Gaza, where roughly 300 armed Hamas operatives stormed a residential compound occupied by gunmen from the Dughmush clan, a powerful family long opposed to Hamas. Families fled in terror as sustained gunfire and explosions filled the streets.

“This time, people weren’t fleeing Israeli attacks, but their own people,” one resident said, describing the sense of disbelief and fear that gripped the neighborhood.

According to figures released by the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, the clashes left eight Hamas fighters and 19 members of the Dughmush militia dead. Hamas sources said the operation was launched after Dughmush gunmen killed two of their members and wounded five others earlier in the week.

A Dughmush family spokesman told local outlets that “Hamas forces came to a building that once served as the Jordanian Hospital, where the family had taken refuge after their homes in the al-Sabra neighborhood were destroyed in the latest Israeli strike. Hamas wanted to evict the family to establish a new base for its forces there.”

Gunfire reportedly continued throughout the day as both sides exchanged fire. Meanwhile, three armed factions opposed to Hamas released statements in recent days expressing their backing for President Trump’s peace initiative to bring the Gaza conflict to an end.

{Matzav.com}

During his speech at the Knesset, President Donald Trump spoke warmly of special envoy Steve Witkoff, praising both his skill in negotiations and his easygoing nature.

Trump affectionately described Witkoff as “Henry Kissinger who doesn’t leak,” a line that drew laughter throughout the chamber.

After Trump recounted an extended anecdote about Witkoff’s diplomatic exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the entire Knesset rose to its feet, giving Witkoff a standing ovation in recognition of his efforts.

Turning his attention to his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, Trump joked that he had not been aware his daughter Ivanka would one day convert to Judaism. “And Bibi, you do know this was not in the cards for me, you understand that,” said Trump, prompting smiles from Netanyahu and others in the hall.

Trump went on to commend Kushner as the chief architect of the Abraham Accords, this time pronouncing the name with its Hebrew inflection. “Avraham, it’s so cool. So much, sorta, nicer. The Abraham, versus the Avraham,” he said with a grin.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump arrived at Israel’s Knesset on Monday morning to deliver a historic address before the plenum, marking his first visit since officially recognizing Yerushalayim as Israel’s capital and relocating the U.S. Embassy there.

As the president entered the Knesset, a trumpet fanfare filled the hall, followed by loud applause from lawmakers and guests. Smiling broadly, Trump began his speech with an upbeat tone: “We’re in a nice place.” He added, “We are giving thanks to the Abrahamic God.”

Trump’s next words drew an emotional response from the audience: “The hostages are back! It feels so good to say it,” he declared, as many members rose to their feet. Turning toward Prime Minister Netanyahu, Trump added with a grin, “Netanyahu is not easy to work with, but that’s what makes him great.”

The president predicted a bright future for Israel, saying, “Like the USA right now, it will be the golden age for Israel.”

Reflecting on the ceasefire negotiations that led to the hostages’ release, Trump said, “A lot of people said we were wasting our time,” but noted that “thanks to several great American patriots, we achieved this,” highlighting the efforts of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

He extended his thanks to “someone who loves Israel so much, my daughter converted,” referring to Jared Kushner, and also acknowledged Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reminding the audience that “the two were political rivals before Trump’s 2020 election victory.”

Trump hailed the Gaza agreement as “an incredible triumph for Israel and the world,” adding that Israel “has won all that can be won by force of arms.” He urged both sides to channel those “victories against terrorists” into a lasting peace and a prosperous future for the Middle East.

“My personality is all about stopping wars,” he said. “As you mentioned, Bibi before, peace through strength…We have a lot of weapons, and we’ve given a lot of them to Israel frankly…Bibi would call me sometimes, can you get me this weapon, that weapon, some of them I had never even heard of.”

As he recalled the Hamas atrocities of October 7, 2023, the entire chamber stood in silence before breaking into applause. “Never forget and never again,” Trump declared. “The cruelty of October 7 struck the heart of humanity. The US mourned alongside Israel.”

He added, “Because of us, the long and painful nightmare is finally over.”

Trump praised Israel’s decisive strikes on Iran in June’s Operation Rising Lion and the joint U.S.-Israeli effort in Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities. “We stopped the number one state sponsor of terror in obtaining the world’s most dangerous weapons,” he said.

He continued, “Assuming we made the same deal we have today, there would be a dark cloud over the deal,” before adding, “We took a big cloud off the Middle East and off of Israel.” The hall erupted in applause once more.

During the speech, MKs Ayman Odeh and Ofer Cassif were expelled from the plenum after displaying a protest sign reading “genocide.” Shouts of “terrorist” echoed across the chamber. Trump remarked that Knesset security handled the situation “in a very efficient” manner.

After his speech, Trump signed the Knesset guest book, writing: “It is a great honor for me – this is a beautiful day, a new beginning. With great respect.”

When reporters asked him in the Knesset hallway whether the Israel-Hamas war was over, Trump replied confidently, “Yes.” He added, “It’s a great day. A whole new beginning. There’s never been an event like it. It’s a great day. I’m so happy for the hostages and their families.”

The session began with remarks from Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who described Trump as “the greatest friend in Israel’s history.” Ohana said the president was not merely “another American president,” but “a giant of Jewish history – one for whom we must look back two and a half millennia into the mists of time to find a parallel, in Cyrus the Great.”

“What the world needs now is not appeasers who feed the crocodile in the hope that they will be eaten last, like we have seen at the UN General Assembly, but what the world needs now are more leaders who are brave, resolute, strong, and bold. The world needs more Trumps!” Ohana declared, drawing cheers from the plenum.

Addressing Netanyahu in Hebrew, Ohana praised the prime minister’s perseverance throughout the war. “We would not have made it to this point if Prime Minister Netanyahu had not made the efforts he did.”

He described Trump as the “President of Peace,” adding, “There was not a single person on this planet who did more than you to advance peace, no one even came close.” Ohana said Trump’s election last year was “a turning point not only for the US, but the entire world,” calling him “one of the most consequential presidents in history.”

Ohana said Trump “more than any other individual” deserves “the highest recognition for your efforts in promoting peace,” and announced plans to work with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to nominate Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, saying “there is no one more deserving.”

In his remarks, Netanyahu thanked Trump for his steadfast support over the years — for recognizing Yerushalayim as Israel’s capital, asserting sovereignty over the Golan Heights, defending Israel at the United Nations, and brokering the Abraham Accords in 2020.

He also thanked Trump for the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, noting that “Operation Rising Lion and Operation Midnight Hammer” demonstrated how powerful the alliance had become.

Netanyahu recalled the horror of October 7 and the bravery of Israel’s defenders. “Israel did what it had to do to defend its people, with heroic soldiers who fought like lions,” he said. He also praised Ari, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen who lost three limbs during the war, as a symbol of courage.

The prime minister acknowledged the heavy price Israel paid, saying nearly 2,000 lives were lost, many in battle. “Because of these heroes, our nation will survive, thrive, and have peace,” he said, addressing the bereaved families with deep sympathy.

Netanyahu said that under Trump’s leadership, Iran’s nuclear ambitions were crushed, the Houthis were severely weakened, and the balance of power in the Middle East shifted. “Our enemies now understand just how powerful Israel is; they understand how catastrophic attacking Israel was, and now understand that attacking Israel was a mistake,” he declared.

He noted that diplomatic isolation had intensified before Trump’s election but that “just at that point of maximum pressure on Israel, Trump was elected president, and overnight, everything changed.”

Netanyahu credited Trump’s “unequivocal backing” for helping Israel secure a second hostage deal “within weeks” of his return to office, adding that “Trump’s decision to bomb Fordow was a pivot in history.” He said the strike and the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the “Pivot of Death,” restored America’s global leadership.

Netanyahu announced that he had nominated Trump to become the first non-Israeli recipient of the Israel Prize and, referring to the Nobel Peace Prize, quipped, “as to that other prize, it’s only a matter of time.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid also spoke, saying, “For two years we waited for this morning. Two years of sleepless nights, two years without air in our lungs. Our eyes are filled with tears today. Our hearts are filled with gratitude. Our children are coming home.”

Lapid turned to Trump and said, “Mr. President, you have saved the lives of our hostages. But you saved so much more.” He said Trump’s actions also “saved the souls of the bereaved, as well as thousands of soldiers who now will not fall in battle,” quoting the Gemara that one who saves a single life “is as if he saved the entire world.”

“The fact that you were not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize is a grave mistake by the committee – but they will have no choice, Mr. President. They will have to award it to you next year,” Lapid added.

He reaffirmed Israel’s strength and permanence: “We are not going anywhere, the Middle East is our home and we are here to stay.”

Lapid also criticized Western protesters for falling victim to propaganda. “You have time to go learn the facts, the truth is there was no genocide, no intentional starvation,” he said. “If you stand with the Iranian regime, Hamas, or Hezbollah, you stand on the side of evil. Those who stand with Israel stand on the side of justice.”

Addressing Trump with a smile, Lapid concluded, “If there was one stock I would invest in today, it would be the State of Israel.”

Earlier, Trump and Netanyahu met privately in the Knesset before greeting freed hostages and their families. The president was accompanied by top officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who received loud applause when mentioned by Ohana.

Also present were U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Mossad Chief David Barnea, Shin Bet head Maj.-Gen. (res.) David Zini, Hostage Coordinator Brig.-Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, and Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Leon.

In a gesture that underscored their close relationship, Netanyahu and his wife Sara rode with Trump in the U.S. presidential vehicle, “The Beast,” from Ben-Gurion Airport to the Knesset — a break from diplomatic protocol that symbolized the bond between the two leaders and their nations.

{Matzav.com}

During his address to the Knesset, President Donald Trump lauded Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu for his “great courage and patriotism,” saying that “his partnership did so much to make this day possible.”

Turning toward Netanyahu, Trump invited him to rise as the chamber broke out in applause.

“And he’s not easy, I wanna tell you,” Trump remarked with a smile. “He’s not the easiest guy to deal with. But that’s what makes him great.”

“Thank you very much, Bibi. Great job,” Trump added, nodding appreciatively toward the prime minister.

The president also extended gratitude to the Arab and Muslim nations that had joined diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages, calling their cooperation “an incredible triumph for Israel to have all these nations working together as partners in peace.”

“This will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change,” Trump said, predicting a new era of prosperity and stability. “It will be the golden age of Israel, and the golden age of the Middle East.”

{Matzav.com}