U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee lavished praise on President Donald Trump for what he described as a once-unimaginable accomplishment — a sweeping Middle East peace accord that ends the Gaza conflict and secures the release of hostages held by Hamas.
“I’m ecstatic with the news that President Trump has done what people thought not possible,” Huckabee told Newsmax on Thursday. “He’s made it so that the hostages are going to come home; there will be an end to the war in Gaza; and Hamas won’t have a future there.”
Huckabee said the success of the deal, from its ceasefire terms to the diplomatic cooperation that made it possible, stemmed directly from Trump’s personal involvement and determination.
“Everything he said needed to happen, it’s going to happen. And it’s going to happen for one reason: that’s because President Trump is the one who made this all work together,” Huckabee said during an appearance on National Report.
He applauded Trump’s efforts to bring together regional partners while remaining a steadfast ally of Israel throughout the negotiations.
“Don’t let anyone take this from him. This is his achievement, and he deserves the credit for it — all of the credit,” Huckabee said.
Huckabee acknowledged the roles of key figures such as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who assisted in the talks, but maintained that Trump alone deserves the ultimate recognition.
“It’s the quarterback that threw the touchdown pass — and that’s Donald Trump,” he said.
The ambassador, who has served in his post throughout Trump’s second term, said the landmark deal would finally offer solace to the families of the captives and bring long-sought stability to the region.
“How grateful I am to be able to serve with him, for him, and to see this incredible achievement that is going to mean the world to these families — and to the entire nation of Israel,” he said.
Reflecting on Trump’s enduring support for Israel, Huckabee recalled the president’s first-term decisions to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, move the U.S. Embassy there, and affirm Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
“He was so instrumental and historic in his efforts,” Huckabee said. “Then in his second term, bringing really the end of the war with Iran by sending the B-2 bombers in at the very strategic moment. And now this historic peace agreement.”
Huckabee noted that Trump’s consistent backing of Israel has made him deeply admired by its citizens.
“If Donald Trump were on the ballot in Israel, he would get 95% of the vote,” Huckabee said, “and the 5% who didn’t vote for him — they’re all in insane asylums.”
Under the agreement, every hostage held by Hamas — both those alive and those who perished — is expected to be returned to their families by Tuesday.
“We hope it’s as early as Sunday, but certainly by Tuesday,” Huckabee said, acknowledging that coordination and health concerns remain. “These are people that have been starved and tortured for two years, so it’s not going to be a minute too soon.”
The main challenge, he said, is ensuring Hamas fulfills its obligation to deliver all captives simultaneously, including identifying and returning the bodies of the deceased. Israel has confirmed that 20 hostages are alive and 28 are dead.
“I think we know that they will be able to produce all of the living hostages and I think most, if not all of the deceased hostages. But the deceased hostages will be the biggest challenge in some cases, just to make sure they know where they are,” Huckabee said. “My prayer is that all of them, every hostage, deceased and living, will return to their families.”
Huckabee concluded with a pledge of ongoing commitment from both nations: “Both Israel and the United States will not rest and will never stop doing everything possible to make sure that all the hostages are discovered and brought home.”
{Matzav.com}
