India Today
Netanyahu’s Big Prize For Trump: ‘You Stood By Us When Others Abandoned Us’

In a special address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded former US President Donald Trump for his steadfast support of Israel, announcing his nomination for the Israel Prize, the nation’s highest honour. ‘When others were weak. You were strong. When others were fearful, you were bold. When others abandoned us, you stood by our side,’ Netanyahu stated in his message of gratitude. The Israeli leader credited Trump with playing a crucial role in efforts to bring hostages home and supporting Israel’s strategic goals. Highlighting the deep alliance between the two nations, Netanyahu’s speech underscored a relationship he described as a ‘covenant between our two promised lands,’ and referred to Trump as Israel’s ‘greatest friend.’ The discussion also comes in the context of various nominations and awards for Trump, including the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor, for his role in Middle East diplomacy and hostage release deals.

Live updates: Trump says war in Gaza ‘is over,’ arrives in Egypt as Israel celebrates release of hostages

Story by Niha Masih, Kelly Kasulis Cho, Abbie Cheeseman, Leo Sands, Cate Brown, Maham Javaid
 • 11h

 

President Donald Trump arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on Monday to attend a summit on Gaza’s future with world leaders, after an address to Israel’s Parliament to celebrate the return of the remaining living hostages from Gaza as part of a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan. He said the war in Gaza “is over” and touted the “dawn of a new Middle East,” although much remains uncertain about the next phase of the peace plan.

The 20 living hostages were released in two groups, seven first and then 13, and have arrived back in Israel. In exchange, Israeli authorities said they released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The vast majority of them are Gaza residents who were swept up by the Israeli military over the past two years but never charged with crimes.

Palestinians have voiced fears that once the hostages — Hamas’s only leverage — have been released, the Israeli military could return to attacking the enclave. Trump has offered his personal guarantee that Israel would not do so.

10:14 AM: Here are the key developments

  • President Donald Trump has arrived in Egypt for a summit on Gaza’s future. The gathering in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh will include leaders from Jordan, Qatar, France, Britain, Germany and Turkey, as well as Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas.
  • Trump addressed the Israeli parliament Monday, and for over an hour he lauded the ceasefire deal he brokered as the beginning of peace in the Middle East.
  • Trump said the war in Gaza “is over.” But neither he nor Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the longer-term and thornier issues of the U.S.-backed plan to permanently end the war, which have yet to be negotiated.
  • All 20 living hostages have been released and returned to Israel. They were freed in two groups.
  • The bodies of 28 hostages were also due to be released Monday, but Hamas said it would release only four. The group had warned during negotiations that it would be unable to find all the bodies by the 72-hour deadline because of the destruction in Gaza. Israel has said an international mechanism will enter Gaza to search for those that have not been found.
  • The Israel Prison Service said it has freed 1,968 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Under the deal, 250 people serving life sentences and some 1,700 Gaza residents held without charge since Oct. 7, 2023, were to be released.

By: Abbie Cheeseman

11:32 AM: Analysis from Claire Parker, Cairo bureau chief

“It’s peace in the Middle East. And everybody said it’s not possible to do. And it’s gonna happen, and it is happening, before your very eyes,” President Donald Trump said after his arrival at the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

11:27 AM: Analysis from Matt Viser, White House Bureau Chief

Now that the living hostages have been returned to Israel, Trump said Phase 2 of the peace process can start: “You look at Gaza, there’s a lot of cleanup. … They’re going to really do a job.”

11:26 AM: Israel releases Palestinian detainees and prisoners under ceasefire deal

The Washington Post
Released Palestinian prisoners arrive in Ramallah
0
VIEW THE VIDEO ON WATCH

The releases stirred joy and relief in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as Israel celebrated the almost simultaneous return of the living hostages held by Hamas. Two buses filled with former prisoners could be seen in television footage arriving in Ramallah in the West Bank. Families gathered at Nasser Hospital, in southern Gaza, to welcome the detainees.

Among those released are roughly 1,700 detainees from Gaza who were among thousands of people from the enclave whom the Israeli military seized during the war and held without charge. Their families have been left for months or longer with little notion of their whereabouts or, in some cases, any idea whether they were still alive.

Of the 250 who were serving long terms in Israeli prisons on charges including murder, most were militants from Hamas or the West bank-based Fatah. Under the provisions of the agreement, some of the prisoners will return to their homes in the West Bank or Jerusalem, while others will be sent to Gaza or deported abroad.

Some prominent Palestinians were are not expected to be released Monday. They include Hussam Abu Safiya, the former director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, who was detained as Israeli forces Fahim reported from Istanbul and Shamalakh from Cairo. Abbie Cheeseman in Beirut contributed to this report.

By: Miriam Berger, Kareem Fahim and Siham Shamalakh

TEL AVIV — Matan Angrest, 22, a tank commander for the Israel Defense Forces held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, arrived to the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center on Monday afternoon, according to the hospital spokesperson Lotem Shahar, after his release from captivity earlier in the day.

Neria Malka, 23, a friend of Angrest’s from the army, who served with him in the Armored Corps, said they believed all along he would come back. “It was never a question of if he would return, but when,” he said. “We know Matan is strong. We know him; he doesn’t break. We see him smiling, and even now he’s making us hearts” with his hand “and blowing kisses.”

11:15 AM: Video: Israelis celebrate release of living hostages as Palestinians celebrate release of prisoners

The Washington Post
Hamas releases all living Israeli hostages in ceasefire deal
VIEW THE VIDEO ON WATCH

11:14 AM: Analysis from Isaac Arnsdorf, Senior White House reporter

11:11 AM: Trump used U.S. leverage to steer Netanyahu toward ceasefire deal

President Donald Trump gave Israel wide rein to fight the war in Gaza, which the White House said gave him extra sway when he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it was time to halt the fighting.

Trump was infuriated when, on Sept. 9, an Israeli airstrike hit the villa of a senior Hamas leader in Doha, the capital of Qatar, a close U.S. ally. He used that moment to push Netanyahu to agree to a more comprehensive deal than had been reached so far — applying “maximum pressure” to the Israeli leader, according to a senior White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door diplomatic negotiations.

Although the president never specifically threatened to cut off military aid for Israel, Israel’s dependence on the United States is understood when the U.S. leader pushes Israelis, the official said. “Without the United States, Israel will not exist. And you don’t have to say that,” the official said last week.

By: Michael Birnbaum

Increased American and Israeli engagement on ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza helped bring about a major uptick in the number of trucks of supplies entering the devastated enclave over the past day, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said in an interview Monday.

“Yesterday was a very good day,” he said, reporting that more than 800 trucks reached Gaza, “lots of them with food, some cooking gas for the first time in several months, more medicine and shelter.” That tranche of aid included tents, a desperately needed commodity for the nearly 2 million Palestinians who have been displaced at least once, and typically many times, during the war.

Under the deal brokered in Sharm el-Sheikh last week, envisioned as a beginning of the end of the war in Gaza, an average of 600 trucks are expected to be sent into Gaza daily to bring needed humanitarian relief to a population suffering displacement, disease, injury and, in some places, famine. That increase in aid began Sunday.

Already during the ceasefire, looting is down, trucks backed up for months in Egypt are moving into Gaza again and sections of a key road running between the north and south of the enclave were repaired Sunday to facilitate aid deliveries, Fletcher said. Talks are ongoing with Israel about reopening a key corridor from Jordan, which was closed after a shooting at the border crossing last month, he added. Fletcher also called for two border crossings between southern Israel and northern Gaza to be reopened.

“It’s clear things have changed” in conversations between the United Nations and Israeli officials, Fletcher added. “There’s a genuine collective effort to get these trucks moving” — something he said the U.N. hasn’t seen for “months.”

“Real American engagement” in recent days has also made a difference, he said. “Everyone wants to see this agreement be implemented.”

By: Claire Parker

Representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross are preparing to receive “several coffins” of deceased hostages in the southern Gaza Strip, according to a joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces and Israel’s intelligence agency.

The Israeli army expects to receive four bodies in Monday’s exchange, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said in a video statement. Families of the deceased will be provided with official identification before any further information is released to the public, a military statement said.

Some Israeli politicians, as well as the Hostages Families Forum, a grassroots organization that has advocated on the hostages’ behalf, have said that Hamas has violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement by failing to return the bodies of all 28 deceased hostages believed to be in Gaza within a 72-hour deadline set by the negotiators.

On Monday evening, the Hostages Families Forum called for “the immediate suspension of all agreement implementation until every deceased individual is returned.”

By: Lior Soroka and Cate Brown

10:45 AM: U.K. to announce $26 million Gaza aid package, host rebuilding conference

Starmer traveled to this Red Sea resort town to mark “a historic turning point for the region following two years of conflict and bloodshed in Gaza” and signal the United Kingdom intends to play a prominent role in ensuring the implementation of the next phases of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan, his office said.

The aid, to be delivered through UNICEF, the World Food Program and the Norwegian Refugee Council, will go toward water, sanitation and hygiene services for “tens of thousands of civilians across Gaza.”

While Starmer is in Egypt, a separate three-day conference on Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction began Monday in London, the statement said. Those meetings will bring together representatives from Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank and private sector actors to discuss “crucial planning and coordination efforts for postwar Gaza.”

“Long-term recovery must be Palestinian-led but broad public and private investment will be needed to deliver the scale of reconstruction necessary,” Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement.

France and the European Union also used the occasion of the Sharm El-Sheikh conference to commit to playing a role in supporting Gaza’s reconstruction and transfer to new political leadership.

“He will reaffirm on this occasion the mobilization of France and its partners to prepare for the ‘day after,’ including aspects related to security, governance and reconstruction, to permit the permanent stabilization of the region based on the two-state solution,” Macron’s office said.

European Council President Antonio Costa is also attending the summit. “The EU is committed to contribute to transitional governance, recovery and reconstruction processes to make sure that the ‘day after’ is a success, including by continuing its support to the Palestinian Authority,” Rasha Serry, spokeswoman for the E.U. delegation in Egypt, said in a news release.

By: Claire Parker

10:44 AM: Analysis from Abbie Cheeseman

Israel has released all the Palestinian detainees and prisoners it had pledged to as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, Israel’s Prison Service said Monday, after Hamas and allied militant groups released all the remaining living hostages. A total of 1,968 people were released to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, the detention authority said. Over 1,700 Gazan detainees who have been swept up by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, 2023, and held without charge are on their way back to Gaza. Some 250 prisoners serving life sentences were released earlier Monday — 154 of them are due to be deported, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society — though it is not immediately clear where.

10:43 AM: Analysis from Matt Viser, White House Bureau Chief

Air Force One was escorted by F-16s from the Egyptian Air Force as Trump arrived in Egypt. He was greeted on the ground by Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi.

10:30 AM: Egypt aims to cement Trump commitment to end war at summit with world leaders

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt — The Gaza-focused summit underway here on Monday afternoon was the result of intensive Egyptian efforts to bring world leaders to the Middle East to witness President Donald Trump pledge in person that the initial ceasefire deal brokered last week would indeed mark the beginning of an end to the war in Gaza.

For months and over multiple rounds of negotiations, Hamas had asked for assurances from the United States and mediators Egypt and Qatar that Israel would not resume attacking Gaza after Hamas and allied Palestinian groups handed over the remaining hostages.

It’s unclear what exactly Trump and mediating countries will sign at the ceremony here. Egypt hopes Trump’s doing it at all, in front of counterparts from around the world, will make it harder for the president to tolerate a resumption of hostilities.

“Trump today came in front of the world — he cannot backtrack and waste all his efforts,” said a former Egyptian official familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter. “He has to continue” with upholding the peace, the former official added. “He will lose his legacy” otherwise.

Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are among the leaders at the summit.

The conditions seemed ripe for a deal last week, when U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, arrived here to push the talks forward. But Hamas demanded a written guarantee from the American delegation that Israel would not restart the war. The American negotiating team twice rejected the ask, according to Khaled Okasha, an Egyptian consultant who advised the Egyptian and Palestinian delegations during the talks.

Egypt has been on a campaign to flatter Trump. In a call with Trump on Thursday, Sisi called the agreement “a historic achievement, realized by President Trump’s keenness, endeavors, and sincere efforts toward peace,” a statement from his office said, adding that Sisi “affirmed that President Trump therefore deserves to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Behind the scenes, during a meeting in Cairo on Thursday after the deal was announced, Sisi urged Witkoff, Kushner and U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Herro Mustafa Garg to encourage Trump to attend, Okasha said.

10:29 AM: Analysis from Claire Parker, Cairo bureau chief

9:57 AM: Trump says Gaza war ‘is over,’ offers sweeping claims of peace in Middle East

Live updates: Trump says war in Gaza ‘is over,’ arrives in Egypt as Israel celebrates release of hostages© Jalaa Marey/via REUTERS

JERUSALEM — President Donald Trump throughout his speech before Israel’s legislature made sweeping claims that peace was washing over a region filled with generations of conflict.

“This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” he said. “Generations from now, this will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change and change very much for the better,” he said at another.

Trump made two thing clear: his belief that the war in Gaza is now over, and that he had convinced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take a ceasefire deal.

“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,’” Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. He added, “I want to congratulate you for having the courage to say, ‘That’s it, we’ve won, and now let’s enjoy our lives and let’s rebuild Israel and make it stronger and bigger and better than it’s ever been before.’ We’re going to do that. It took a lot of guts.”

For his part, Netanyahu acknowledged that the hostage release on Monday “marks the end of two years of war.”

While there has been jubilation across the region over the latest agreement, there are many questions over how the next phase of Trump’s ambitious peace plan will unfold, as it remains highly uncertain and difficult to implement.

Trump said that there would be “the golden age of the Middle East” now that a first phase of the ceasefire had been agreed to. “Now, at last, not only for Israelis, but also for Palestinians and for many others, the long and painful nightmare is finally over,” he said.

In remarks Monday, Netanyahu delivered a rebuke to those who had urged him to make peace earlier — and something of an early election season stump speech.

Viser reported from Washington.

By: Gerry Shih and Matt Viser

8:54 AM: Families in Gaza rejoice, others mourn as they scour list of detainees set for release

People gather at Nasser hospital as they welcome freed Palestinian prisoners released by Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, on Monday.© Ramadan Abed/Reuters

Amna Abu Mussa, 64, was overjoyed Monday to find out that her son, Salem Abu Mussa, was set to be released from Israeli custody back into Gaza as part of the hostages-for-prisoners deal.

She and other relatives rushed to Nasser Hospital to join the mass of expectant families as soon as they found out Salem would be released. Official groups representing Palestinian prisoners shared an Excel spreadsheet of the list on Monday morning.

Salem was detained by Israeli forces on July 14 near the Netzarim Corridor while trying to get aid from a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation site, his mother said. He has one boy and two girls, aged 9 and under.

But Amna’s excitement Monday was mixed with a deep sadness: another son, Obaida, who was detained in the same area on May 29, was not on the release list. She burst into tears as she spoke. “We haven’t heard anything about him [Obaida] since some witnesses in the area said he was shot in the stomach,” she said. “We just don’t know. I’m overjoyed that Salem is free, but my heart is breaking for his brother.”

She worries he may no longer be alive. Without her sons, she said, she “doesn’t know her head from her feet.”

8:45 AM: World leaders voice hope for first phase of Gaza ceasefire deal

World leaders expressed hope for a peaceful Middle East on Monday morning, issuing statements on social media that welcomed the return of Israeli hostages and the first steps taken toward an end to the war in Gaza.

“I share the joy of the families and of the Israeli people as seven hostages have just been handed over to the Red Cross,” French President Emmanuel Macron British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Macron and Starmer, both of whom have recognized Palestinian statehood in recent months, also expressed a willingness to take on leading roles in the Middle East peace process.

Macron said France will be involved in “every stage” of President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan, while Starmer said Britain had provided additional humanitarian aid for Gaza and would lead efforts for its reconstruction after the war.

said on X, appearing to refer to Alon Ohel, who was kidnapped at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023 and holds German citizenship.

Starmer, Macron and Merz are among the more than 20 world leaders scheduled to attend an international peace summit in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said the return of the hostages marked a moment of joy and relief. “It means that a page can be turned. A new chapter can begin,” she said on X, adding that Brussels would provide funding for the reconstruction of Gaza.

By: Leo Sands

8:36 AM: Analysis from Leo Sands, Breaking News Reporter/Editor

President Donald Trump suggested in his Knesset address that Israeli prosecutors drop long-standing charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes.

Netanyahu has denied all wrongdoing in those cases, maintaining that the charges are part of a politically motivated campaign against him.

7:59 AM: Analysis from Abbie Cheeseman

This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.
The Washington Post
Trump congratulates Netanyahu in Israeli parliament address
0
VIEW THE VIDEO ON WATCH

7:38 AM: Analysis from Leo Sands, Breaking News Reporter/Editor

Knesset member Ayman Odeh is removed from the chamber on Monday.© Kenny Holston/Reuters

Knesset lawmakers Ofer Cassif and Ayman Odeh were removed from the chamber after holding up protest signs a few minutes into President Donald Trump’s address. “That was very efficient,” Trump said, as the two men were escorted out. Ahead of Trump’s speech, Cassif said in a statement that it would be “undoubtedly filled with self-aggrandizement and lies” and that the U.S. president “has not an ounce of care for either the Israeli or Palestinian people.”

 
The Washington Post
Lawmakers expelled from Trump’s speech to Israeli parliament
VIEW THE VIDEO ON WATCH

7:18 AM: Analysis from Abbie Cheeseman

7:11 AM: Analysis from Leo Sands, Breaking News Reporter/Editor

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking to the Knesset, criticized those who called on him to end the war without a commitment from Hamas militants to disarm. “They called for us to surrender to Hamas’s demands to leave Gaza immediately. They said: ‘End the war without committing to disarm Hamas,’” Netanyahu said, lauding President Donald Trump’s “proposal to free the hostages and end the war.”

But much 7:05 AM: Netanyahu declines Trump’s invitation to Gaza-focused summit in Egypt

Peace Square in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, ahead of Gaza talks on Monday.© Mohamed Hossam/EPA/Shutterstock

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined President Donald Trump’s invitation to join the Gaza-focused summit set to take place in this Red Sea resort town Monday afternoon, his office said in a statement.

“The Prime Minister thanked President Trump for the invitation, but said he would not be able to attend due to the timing, which coincides with the start of the holiday,” the statement said, referring to the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, which begins at sundown. “The Prime Minister thanked President Trump for his efforts to broaden the circle of peace — peace through strength.”

The Egyptian presidency put out a statement midday Monday announcing the attendance of Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, “to consolidate the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and reaffirm commitment to it.” The two leaders are rarely in the same room, and such an encounter would have marked a significant diplomatic moment.

Lior Soroka in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.

6:52 AM: Analysis from Claire Parker, Cairo bureau chief

The roar of planes could be heard here all morning as foreign dignitaries flew into this Red Sea resort town to attend the summit on Gaza’s future hosted by Egypt and the United States. Leaders began arriving in the early afternoon at the sprawling conference center. Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi shook hands with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Jordanian King Abdullah II against a banner that read, “Sharm ElSheikh summit for peace: Agreement to end the war in Gaza.”

Israeli officials praised President Donald Trump during a special parliamentary session that Trump is expected to address.

“Donald Trump is the greatest friend that the state of Israel has ever had in the White House,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, as Trump sat beside him. “It ain’t even close.”

Netanyahu thanked Trump for putting forward a proposal that he claimed achieved all of Israel’s objectives and would open the door to wider peace in the region. “Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace. And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace,” Netanyahu said.

6:09 AM: All 20 living hostages are back in Israel, IDF says

A helicopter carrying hostages takes off in Reim, southern Israel, on Monday.© Amir Cohen/Reuters

All 20 living hostages have been released from captivity in Gaza and returned to Israel, the country’s military said, after 13 of them were met by Israeli forces and crossed back into home territory.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the second wave of released hostages as Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Avinatan Or, Elkana Bohbot, Rom Braslavski, Evyatar David, Eitan Horn, Maxim Herkin, Nimrod Cohen, Segev Kalfon, Ariel Cunio, David Cunio, Bar Kupershtein and Matan Zangauker. Shortly after midday, Israeli forces said the hostages crossed the border into Israel and were being transferred to a reception point in the south, where they will reunite with their families.

Earlier Monday, Israeli forces said the first group of seven hostages arrived in Israel after being released. They were identified as Alon Ohel, Matan Angrest, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Eitan Abraham Mor and Omri Miran.

Previously, Israel said it believed two hostages had died in captivity in Gaza, but it did not identify them. On Monday, Bipin Joshi and Tamir Nimrodi, whose deaths Israel has not publicly confirmed, did not appear on Israeli officials’ list of living hostages. Joshi, a Nepali national, was studying agriculture at Kibbutz Alumim when the Hamas-led attacks began on Oct. 7, 2023. Nimrodi, an By: Leo Sands and Abbie Cheeseman

5:24 AM: The Gaza war has exacted a devastating toll, figures show

Displaced Palestinians walk with their belongings past destroyed buildings as they return to their homes in Khan Younis, the southern Gaza Strip, on Friday.© Jehad Alshrafi/AP

The release of Hamas-held hostages Monday set into motion a plan to gradually end the war, which has At least 67,800 Palestinians — about 3 percent of Gaza’s population — have been killed and more than 170,000 have been wounded since the start of the conflict, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says the majority of those killed were women and children.

Homes have been obliterated, entire city blocks have been leveled and more than 94 percent of the enclave’s hospitals have been. Israel’s blockade of the Strip has induced a famine that the Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251 as hostages during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. More than 900 Israeli military members have also been killed during the conflict, By: Kelly Kasulis Cho and Niha Masih

4:55 AM: Sharm el-Sheikh readies for Trump’s arrival this afternoon

A police officer stands in front of a poster showing Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi and President Donald Trump in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday.© Amr Nabil/AP

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt — President Trump is expected to fly to this Red Sea resort town Monday afternoon for a “peace summit” and signing ceremony for the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal.

The summit, to be co-chaired by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, is expected to draw heads of state or top officials from more than 20 countries, according to a news release from the Egyptian government. The offices of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President of the European Council António Costa have confirmed their attendance. The Egyptian announcement also said the king of Jordan, emir of Qatar, the presidents of Turkey and Indonesia, the king of Bahrain, the chancellor of Germany and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, would attend.

Sisi and Trump are expected to hold a bilateral meeting ahead of the main session. Then there will be a photo opportunity, followed by a signing ceremony, and Trump and Sisi will address assembled leaders, the statement said. Attendees will hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines to discuss efforts to move forward with the next stages of Trump’s 20-point plan for peace in Gaza.

“The summit aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability,” the Egyptian statement said.

By: Claire Parker

4:45 AM: Analysis from Leo Sands, Breaking News Reporter/Editor

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff expressed relief and anguish as Hamas prepared to release the living hostages from captivity in Gaza on Monday. “Today, twenty families are spared the unbearable pain of not knowing if they will ever see their loved ones again,” he said on X. “But even in this moment of relief and happiness, my heart aches for those whose loved ones will not return alive.”

4:26 AM: Analysis from Isaac Arnsdorf, Senior White House reporter

President Donald Trump arrived at the Knesset and signed a guestbook with a message: “This is my great honor — a great and beautiful day. A new beginning.”

4:16 AM: Analysis from Lior Soroka

Former hostage Almog Meir Jan, at Hostages Square on Monday morning, said: “It takes me back to those moments when I was on the helicopter, when you land at the hospital, hug your family and are surrounded by love and emotion,” he said. “After two years, we’re finally bringing this to an end. We’ve been waiting for this for so long.” Meir Jan, 23, was freed during an Israeli military raid last year.

4:02 AM: Analysis from Abbie Cheeseman

Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, is preparing for the Palestinian detainees due to be released from Israeli prisons to receive medical examinations once they are back in Gaza, the enclave’s health ministry said Monday. A livestream on Al Jazeera showed hundreds of people waiting at a reception point outside the hospital for their arrival. Israel is expected to free around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees later Monday: some 1,700 are residents of Gaza who have been held for more than two years without charge and 250 are serving life sentences.

3:56 AM: Former Biden official Jake Sullivan says Trump deserves credit for deal

Jake Sullivan served as national security adviser when Joe Biden was president.© Tom Brenner/For The Washington Post

Jake Sullivan, national security adviser under Joe Biden, said that President Donald Trump deserves credit “without question” for the administration’s work on the Middle East deal.

Sullivan also praised the work by Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. “These are hard jobs,” Sullivan said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “To get to something like today takes a village. And it takes determination and really hard work. And so I, without question, offer credit for that.” Sullivan added, “Now, the question is, can we make sure this sticks as we go forward?”

“I hope and I support every effort to make sure that happens,” he said, adding that “ultimately there will be no long-term solution to this situation if there is not a credible pathway to a Palestinian state.”

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) also offered praise to Trump and his team, telling CNN that the president “should get a lot of credit.” Kelly said he hopes the Arab nations involved in the deal “step up and do what they said they would do,” which is investing in rebuilding Gaza.

By: Mariana Alfaro

3:44 AM: Trump’s Israel visit marks his biggest foreign policy gamble yet

President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel on Monday.© Abir Sultan/EPA/Shutterstock

President Donald Trump landed in Israel on Monday to celebrate the crowning foreign policy achievement of his first nine months in office, a ceasefire and hostage release deal that he imposed on Israeli and Hamas leaders through a mixture of pressure and bluster after a grinding war.

The president has made a career of pushing his way past inconvenient realities. And with Hamas’s and Israel’s red lines still far apart, the ceasefire deal may test Trump’s strategy on a global stage. Each warring side said yes last week to elements of Trump’s peace plan, but with heavy caveats that seem impossible to reconcile. Trump embraced the “yes” and ignored the caveats — and so far he has pressured Hamas and Israel into going along with it.

War-weary Gazans and Israelis may be ready for peace and as eager to embrace the ceasefire as Trump is. Families of hostages held by Hamas have embraced the U.S. president’s peace plan, even as they remain frustrated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken so long to free their loved ones. Gaza’s famine-hit residents, meanwhile, urgently need food, medicine and shelter, which will be facilitated by the deal.

How long the truce will hold is another question. Hamas did not reject or explicitly accept calls for its disarmament in the Trump plan, nor did it give up a role in Gaza’s future — two red lines for Israeli leaders that could drive them back to the conflict after the euphoria of the hostage release wears off.

By: Michael Birnbaum

3:25 AM: Seven hostages to undergo medical tests, reunite with families in Israel

A Red Cross vehicle transports Israeli hostages following their handover in Gaza City on Monday.© Ebrahim Hajjaj/Reuters

Seven of the hostages released by Hamas made it to a reception point in Israel, where they will undergo a medical evaluation and reunite with their families, the Israel Defense Forces After crossing the border from Gaza into Israel, they were accompanied by members of the IDF and Israeli security forces, the post said.

3:12 AM: Analysis from Leo Sands, Breaking News Reporter/Editor

The Israel Defense Forces said it is prepared for Hamas to release a second wave of hostages shortly. It said the Red Cross is on its way to a “meeting point in the southern Gaza Strip, where several hostages will be handed over.”

3:02 AM: Analysis from Niha Masih, Breaking news reporter focusing on U.S. and global events

The Washington Post
Trump arrives in Israel as Hamas begins hostage release
0

View on WatchView on Watch

2:59 AM: Hamas says it is releasing 20 hostages as part of Gaza deal’s first phase

 
The Washington Post
Red Cross vehicles carrying hostages leave Gaza City
0

View on WatchView on Watch

Hamas said Monday it was complying with the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal by releasing 20 hostages held by the group and its allied militants. In a brief statement on Telegram, Hamas said it was committed to fulfilling the obligations of the deal and urged Israel to do the same.

Hamas did not provide a timeframe for the release of the 20 hostages mentioned in the statement, seven of whom the Since Oct. 7, 2023, more than half of the Under President Donald Trump’s framework, Israel is also set to release 250 Palestinian prisoners who are serving life sentences and about 1,700 people detained in Gaza since the Oct. 7 attack that started the war — including all women and children who were detained.

“The liberation of our heroic prisoners, including those with life sentences and long-term sentences who have spent many years behind bars, is the fruit of the heroism and steadfastness of our great people in the Gaza Strip and its brave resistance members,” Hamas said.

By: Leo Sands

2:47 AM: Analysis from Heidi Levine

At Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, the crowd was silent and tearful as thousands of supporters strained to hear Israeli activist Einav Zangauker speak with her son, Matan, by phone for the first time since he was abducted and held hostage by Hamas. Then the crowd erupted into cheers.

2:34 AM: Analysis from Abbie Cheeseman

The seven hostages released so far have been named by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office as Alon Ohel, Matan Angrest, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Eitan Abraham Mor and Omri Miran.

“Their families have been informed by the authorized officials that they have joined our forces in the Gaza Strip and will make their way to Israeli territory as soon as possible,” the statement read.

2:19 AM: Analysis from Kelly Kasulis Cho, Breaking News Reporter/Editor

President Donald Trump is expected to land in Israel soon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, sharing a video of the sky from aboard Air Force One. He is slated to arrive at around 9:20 a.m. local time.

1:48 AM: Analysis from Niha Masih, Breaking news reporter focusing on U.S. and global events

The International Committee of the Red Cross early Monday said it had begun “a multi-phase operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages and detainees” agreed to by Israel and Hamas as part of the ceasefire deal. ICRC teams will receive the hostages held in Gaza and transfer them to Israeli authorities. Separately, the group will transfer Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons to Gaza and the West Bank.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club on Monday morning published a list of names of more than 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza expected to be released in the ceasefire deal. Many Gazans don’t know if loved ones are detained or dead, as Israel had not released an official list identifying which Palestinians picked up in Gaza were being held without formal charges in Israeli custody.

1:12 AM: Trump declares end of war in Gaza, despite continued concerns

President Donald Trump on Sunday before he boarded Air Force One on his way to Israel.© Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Aboard Air Force One on his way to Israel, President Donald Trump declared Sunday night that “the war’s over” in Gaza, though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hasn’t said that. When asked by a reporter, Trump said he didn’t know when Gaza will become the “Riviera of the Middle East,” as the president said he envisioned earlier this year.

That plan hasn’t been without controversy. A postwar plan for Gaza circulating within the Trump administration and seen by The Washington Post envisions at least a temporary relocation of all of Gaza’s more than 2 million population, either through what it calls “voluntary” departures to another country or into restricted, secured zones inside the enclave during reconstruction.

Trump said Sunday that Gaza had to be cleared of the destruction brought on by the war. “This is like a demolition site,” he said. “You have to get rid of what you have there.”

Trump also said that he expects the ceasefire to hold, and that Qatar deserved a lot of credit for helping reach the deal. “Everybody knows their place, it’s going to be great for everybody, it’s going to be great for the surrounding countries, Arab, Muslim, all of them,” he said.

By: Mariana Alfaro

12:37 AM: Analysis from Kelly Kasulis Cho, Breaking News Reporter/Editor

Israeli medical centers are preparing to receive hostages held by Hamas Monday to provide them with “comprehensive medical, psychological and rehabilitative care,” Israel’s Government Press Office “The hospitals are preparing for every possible scenario,” said Susie Ozsinay Aranya of the GPO. “There is a profound sense of anticipation for their safe return back home after two long and harsh years.”

President Trump’s Peace Summit Hailed as a Game-Changer

The White House

President Donald J. Trump’s groundbreaking peace summit at the White House yesterday is being celebrated by world leaders, national security experts, lawmakers, and others as a monumental stride toward resolving the longstanding war in Ukraine. The summit, which brought together Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European allies, marked another transformative moment in the pursuit of peace.

Here’s what they’re saying:

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte: “Without President Trump, this deadlock with Putin would not have been broken. He is the only one who could do this.”

Gen. Jack Keane (ret.): “You can’t overstate the significance of what we all witnessed and to describe it, as you have and others, as ‘historic’ certainly is factual… What we saw there is the undisputed global leader sitting down with the prominent leaders in Europe and President Zelensky to discuss a pathway forward for peace — and it is stunning.”

Former Special Envoy Nathan Sales: “Peace is closer today than it was yesterday. President Trump didn’t capitulate; he stood firm. Even Zelenskyy says this was the best meeting he’s had with Trump. That’s the path to a durable peace.”

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul: “That was a very positive meeting and whoever had the idea to bring all these European leaders together in addition to President Zelenskyy — that was a brilliant, brilliant idea. And having it come so quickly after Alaska was very important… This is very positive progress.”

Former U.S. Ambassador to Poland Daniel Fried: “A deal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine could emerge.”

Former National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, Jr.: “Let’s be clear — it’s Donald Trump who’s cleaning up the Biden mess.”

Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe: “It’s going to be very difficult … but what’s different in the last two weeks is we now have an opening we didn’t have before to at least start working in that very, very difficult direction.”

Lexington Institute VP for Defense Rebecca Grant: “This is the 100% restoration of American leadership, with NATO and our European allies now united with us in a way that we’ve never seen before… Trump has really done a great job… Masterful leadership.”

Batya Ungar-Sargon: “It’s truly amazing to see the unity between Trump, Zelensky, and the European leaders. There is finally a consensus developing around how this horrific war ends. It’s clear now Putin agreeing to security guarantees in Alaska was a huge breakthrough, and territorial swaps are now on the table from the Ukrainian side. You won’t hear this in the mainstream legacy media who would rather lie than give Trump any credit, but make no mistake about it: This is Trump’s win. ‘The path is open. You opened it,’ as Germany’s Chancellor Merz put it.”

Lex Fridman: “What a great day and meeting between Trump & Zelenskyy. I pray for peace soon”

Larry Kudlow: “If anybody can get a peace deal and end the Russian war on Ukraine, as I’ve said before, it’s President Trump. And, right now, he’s moving at warp speed. Bypassing a cease-fire and moving straight to a peace deal, it appears that he has already got a NATO-like security guarantee agreement from President Vladimir Putin.”

Harold Ford, Jr.: “I give President Trump tremendous credit for where we are.”

Newsmax’s Ed Henry: “This President today actually did the work to move us closer to a peace deal… This is Diplomacy 101.”

ACT for America Founder and Chairman Brigitte Gabriel: “President Trump’s pursuit of peace for two countries he does not live in is inspiring. This war was started by Putin and allowed by Joe Biden, but President Trump is the one who is taking all the arrows to end it. The most selfless leader our nation has ever had.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “The whole thing was a big moment — unprecedented… After three years of deadlock and no talks and no change in circumstances, this is the first time where there seems to be some movement.”

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent: “It was an incredible group to have in the White House, all led by President Trump. The culmination of that was a call with President Putin — and my strong belief is that there will be a bilateral meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy. That’s the only way to end this conflict is to get the two sides talking.”

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth: “What an honor it was to watch Our President forge the peace process today. No other leader on Planet Earth could do what he did in Alaska, today at the White House, or in the future. President Trump is a tough & relentless peacemaker — the world owes him a debt of gratitude.”

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker: “We have a World War I-style land war right now on the European continent. Nobody thought this would ever happen, but here it is — and President Trump, thankfully, was elected last November and has brought us to a position of getting a peace deal where we are possibly a couple meetings away from having the killing end.”

Speaker Mike Johnson: “Don’t believe the Fake News – President Trump is the PEACE PRESIDENT. His leadership is making our enemies FEAR us, our allies TRUST us, and the world is SAFER and more stable because of it. This is the leadership Americans voted for!”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune: “President Trump should be commended for his dogged determination to bring peace to Ukraine and for his courage to engage with all parties in a way his predecessor refused to do. As peace talks continue today in Washington, the U.S. Senate stands ready to provide President Trump any economic leverage needed to keep Russia at the table to negotiate a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso: “We’re seeing America’s strength and leadership under President Trump. The killing needs to stop. A longstanding, verifiable peace between Ukraine and Russia is going to be good for Ukraine, Russia, Europe, and the United States.”

Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton: “Unlike his predecessor, President Trump has demonstrated peace through strength on the world stage.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn: “President Trump has not wavered in his pursuit of peace through strength on the world stage. He is willing to do what Joe Biden never could.”

Sen. Katie Britt: “President Trump is the President of Peace and the Dealmaker in Chief. History needs his strong leadership on the world stage in this pivotal moment.”

Sen. Ted Cruz: “We’re seeing the prospect of peace because Donald Trump is a strong commander-in-chief. Putin and our enemies are afraid of him. That’s a good thing.”

Sen. Deb Fischer: “I am encouraged that Russia remains at the negotiating table as President Trump continues peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, and I commend the president for convening European leaders in Washington to secure lasting peace in Europe. This is what’s possible when America leads with strength.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham: “Well done, Mr. President. A significant step forward today. Thank you for meeting with President Zelensky and our European allies. You’re right to want to end this bloodbath honorably and justly. It is in America’s interest to make sure this war never restarts again. There appears to be light at the end of the tunnel after all these years of fighting, brutality and heartache. President @realDonaldTrump is the right man at the right time to end this bloodbath.”

Sen. James Lankford: “President Trump has made it clear that ending this three and a half year war is a top priority. After meeting directly with Russia, he is now bringing together European leaders and Ukraine to chart the path toward a meaningful and lasting peace.”

Sen. Bernie Moreno: “President Trump delivering a master class in leadership, showcasing American strength in a way Joe Biden could never have imagined possible.”

Sen. Tommy Tuberville: “Thank goodness we got President Trump that’s speaking for us. He’s a leader… Putin respects President Trump, and that’s the key card to play in this game… This is right up his [Trump’s] alley, Larry. He loves to negotiate. He’s a peacemaker. I mean, he’s already stopped, what, five, six, seven wars that have been fighting all over the world the last 10, 15 years.”

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer: “President Trump is the president of PEACE.”

Rep. Michael Baumgartner: “Every American should appreciate President Trump’s determination to help bring an end to the fighting in Ukraine. President Trump certainly assembled an impressive group of western leaders for this meeting.”

Rep. Andy Biggs: “President Trump is the President of Peace! Nations around the world see that real leadership is back in the Oval Office.”

Rep. Tim Burchett: “Nothing President Trump does is by accident, it’s all a part of his plan. I trust @realDonaldTrump to achieve peace in Ukraine, just like he’s done all across the globe.”

Rep. Buddy Carter: “No one could’ve gotten these two men to the point that they are now than Donald J. Trump. He is the chief negotiator. He has done more to negotiate peace in the last eight months than anyone in the history of the world.”

Rep. Mike Carey: “@POTUS is committed to ending wars, and his record shows it. I was glad to see him assemble our allies in Washington to find a diplomatic plan for peace in Ukraine.”

Rep. Andrew Clyde: “President Trump is the PEACE President.”

Rep. Pat Fallon: “Peace through strength!”

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick: “I commend and thank President Trump for today’s critical meeting with President Zelenskyy and our European allies. This is peace through strength: American resolve matched with allied unity, securing a safer and freer world for generations to come. There is more work ahead, but I am confident the United States, Ukraine, and our allies will rise to this moment—and together, deliver the triumph of a just and lasting peace.”

Rep. Lance Gooden: “The mainstream media is more outraged by President Trump working to deliver peace in Ukraine than by Joe Biden allowing Russia to invade Ukraine in the first place.”

Rep. Brett Guthrie: “@POTUS has proven that strong American leadership on the world stage is essential to obtaining peace and deterring conflict. Excited by the progress made yesterday at the White House to finally bring an end to the war in Ukraine.”

Rep. Mike Haridopolos: “President Trump is the PEACE President. The Russians, Ukrainians, and Europeans came to the table on OUR terms to bring a conclusive END to this destructive war. This is what happens when countries respect American leadership.”

Rep. Mark Harris: “Obama and Biden did a terrible job handling Putin, which is why we are in the mess we are in today. We need peace – and President Trump is the man finally bringing everyone to the table!”

Rep. Kevin Hern: “Let’s be clear: there’s only one leader in the world that has any chance of bringing Ukraine and Russia together to end this war, and that’s President Trump.”

Rep. Richard Hudson: “Thank you President Trump. For the first time in four years, we are seeing real progress toward peace in Ukraine. You are demonstrating that peace through strength, coupled with the art of the deal, can halt the bloodshed and move the world closer to a lasting peace.”

Rep. Wesley Hunt: “President Trump is the peace President. He is determined to stop the killing and save lives. He is our negotiator-in-chief and will not stop until there is a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.”

Rep. Brad Knott: “President Trump has consistently pursued peace. From a position of strength, he has placed immense pressure on Russia and has positioned us well to hopefully secure durable peace in Ukraine.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna: “I am praying for POTUS and the other leaders to come to an agreement on Peace. That is what the world needs.”

Rep. Michael McCaul: “President Biden’s weakness on the global stage led to a world on fire, and President Trump is working tirelessly to extinguish the flames. I was proud to see him welcome so many European leaders and allies to the White House to chart a peaceful path forward that includes security guarantees for Ukraine. If anyone can secure lasting peace in Europe, it’s President Trump — as he’s already proven by brokering peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Rwanda and the DRC, and others. His strength and resolve have no doubt brought Putin to the table, and Congress stands ready to use economic tools at our disposal to continue putting leverage on Putin to negotiate in good faith. I will continue to support this administration’s historic commitment to peace through strength and look forward to seeing the progress that follows.”

Rep. Barry Moore: “President Trump is doing more for peace across the globe in his first few months than prior administrations did throughout their whole term!”

Rep. Andy Ogles: “Trump is not a warmonger—he’s a peacemaker. The world has fewer wars because of Donald Trump’s leadership.”

Rep. Keith Self: “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”

Rep. Claudia Tenney: “President Trump brought Zelensky and European leaders to the table to secure Ukraine. He knows Putin cannot be trusted, and by isolating him economically and rallying world leaders, Trump is forcing him into negotiations. This is historic leadership.”

Trump to Host Armenia, Azerbaijan ‘Historic Peace Summit’

World

August 8, 2025

The Washington summit would include an official “Peace Signing Ceremony” and the signing of bilateral agreements between Washington and both Baku and Yerevan.
An Armenian soldier looks through binoculars during a patrol at the check point nearby a demarcation line outside Askeran on November 21, 2020, as Azerbaijani troops moved the day before into the Aghdam district bordering Nagorno-Karabakh. Photo by Andrey Borodulin/AFP via Getty Images

U

.S. President Donald Trump announced that he will host Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House on Friday, August 8, 2025 for what he has called a “Historic Peace Summit.” The meeting is expected to culminate in the signing of a long-awaited peace agreement between the two South Caucasus nations, ending decades of hostility over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Trump, speaking via his Truth Social platform on Thursday, framed the event as a personal diplomatic victory. “These two nations have been at war for many years, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people. Many leaders have tried to end the war, with no success — until now, thanks to ‘TRUMP,’” he wrote, using capital letters for emphasis.

The U.S. president revealed that the summit would include an official “Peace Signing Ceremony” and the signing of bilateral agreements between Washington and both Baku and Yerevan. According to Trump, these agreements will aim to expand economic cooperation, trade, and investment in the strategically important South Caucasus region, which lies at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and is rich in energy resources.

“I am very proud of these courageous leaders for doing the right thing for the great people of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Trump stated. “It will be a historic day for Armenia, Azerbaijan, the United States, and the world.”

Read: Is an Azerbaijani-Armenians Agreement Imminent?

Decades-long conflict

Armenia and Azerbaijan, both former Soviet republics, have been locked in a bitter dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The predominantly ethnic Armenian enclave, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, declared independence in the early 1990s with Armenian military support. This sparked a full-scale war that killed tens of thousands and displaced more than a million people.

A fragile cease-fire brokered in 1994 failed to resolve the underlying dispute. Sporadic clashes continued over the years, culminating in the 44-day war in autumn 2020, when Azerbaijani forces recaptured large swathes of territory, including parts of Karabakh and the surrounding districts. That war ended with a Russian-brokered agreement, which also introduced Russian peacekeepers into the region.

In September 2023, Azerbaijan completed its military operations in Karabakh, restoring full sovereignty over the enclave after the surrender of the remaining separatist forces. The move marked a turning point, shifting the focus from military confrontation to political negotiations.

Read: Azerbaijan Writes the Last Chapter in Karabakh

Road to peace

Efforts toward a comprehensive peace deal accelerated in early 2024, with multiple rounds of talks mediated by the European Union, Russia, and the United States. In March 2025, Baku and Yerevan announced that they had reached agreement on all 17 articles of a draft peace treaty, covering border demarcation, transport links, security guarantees, and the rights of ethnic minorities.

While details of the U.S.-brokered version of the peace agreement have not been released, analysts say it is likely to include American economic incentives and commitments to regional infrastructure projects, potentially tying the peace deal to broader U.S. strategic interests in the Caucasus.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process has implications far beyond the South Caucasus. The region is a vital corridor for oil and gas pipelines connecting the Caspian Sea to European markets, bypassing Russia and Iran. Stability there would strengthen Europe’s energy security and create new opportunities for trade and transport across Eurasia.

Washington’s increased involvement also signals a shift in geopolitical influence. Russia, traditionally the main mediator in the conflict, has been distracted by its war in Ukraine and has seen its sway in the Caucasus diminish. The European Union has played a growing role, but the White House’s hosting of the signing ceremony is seen as a clear statement of U.S. diplomatic leadership.

Political Impact for Trump

For Trump, who is seeking to reinforce his image as a dealmaker on the global stage, the summit offers a high-profile foreign policy achievement. His administration has been working behind the scenes for months, according to U.S. officials, with special envoys shuttling between Baku and Yerevan to iron out differences.

The president has frequently criticized previous administrations for failing to resolve long-standing international disputes. By securing what could be a definitive peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Trump may claim a breakthrough comparable to historic agreements like the Camp David Accords.

The peace summit is scheduled for Friday afternoon in Washington, followed by a formal signing ceremony on the White House lawn. Both leaders are expected to deliver remarks alongside Trump, and the event will be attended by senior U.S. officials, foreign diplomats, and invited guests from the Armenian and Azerbaijani diasporas.

If successful, the agreement would formally end one of the most enduring and bloody post-Soviet conflicts, setting the stage for a new era of cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

(Source: Anadolu Agency)

The following 7 (Seven) conflicts were resolved with the aid of President Trump. Even if tensions have risen again does not take away from the fact that President Trump was instrumental is avoiding escalation and affecting peaceful resolution at that time. 

His opponents would like to erase any memory of President Trumps involvement in this resolutions. If they can’t do that then they downplay his role in them.  But, the truth is aways out there if you can wade through the lies.

  • Armenia and Azerbaijan – The two former Soviet republics and Trump signed a peace agreement at the White House on Aug. 8, ending a decades-long war. The leaders of the countries gave Trump ample praise for his efforts at the ceremony.
  • Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda – Trump announced a treaty between the African nations in a June 20 social media post, crediting Secretary of State Marco Rubio for helping to bring them together.
  • Iran and Israel – Trump announced on June 23 a ceasefire between the two countries after the U.S. joined Israel in bombing Iranian nuclear sites.
  • India and Pakistan – Trump announced the neighboring countries, both armed with nuclear weapons, had reached a ceasefire in May with U.S.-led talks after an intensifying military confrontation. However, India did not credit the U.S. with brokering the halt in fighting. US President Donald Trump was “very involved” in bringing about the cessation of hostilities in the “very dangerous” conflict between India and Pakistan, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has claimed.
  • Cambodia and Thailand – Leaders of the two countries agreed to a ceasefire on July 28 after five deadly days of fighting, Trump urged them to negotiate a ceasefire or else trade deals with the governments would stall.
  • Ethiopia and Egypt, though there has neither been a war nor a peace agreement between the countries Trump dealt with a dispute between the two countries in his first term as they were feuding over a huge hydropower dam, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
  •  Serbia and Kosovo. In September 2020, Trump announced Serbia and Kosovo agreed to economic normalization. Serbia considers Kosovo part of its territory, long after Kosovo declared independence in 2008. Kosovo’s president in July said Trump prevented further escalation


spacer

When Obama ran from president he was an unknown rising u from nowhere.  After he was elected, he proceeded to change our nation as he promised.  But, it was not the kind of change anyone was expecting.  Only 8 months of serving, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. What a shock.  No one had a clue what he could have done to merit that award.  
SPACER

 

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this article:

  • Which U.S. presidents have received the Nobel Peace Prize
  • Why these four men were honored with the prestigious award
  • The controversies that ensued after several of their selections as winners

Over the years, several U.S. presidents have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, including George W. Bush, Joe Biden, and Donald Trump. The prestigious award recognizes individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to advance peace, either through promoting democracy, human rights, or nuclear disarmament, or by brokering peace negotiations between nations.

However, it’s fairly uncommon for an American president to actually win the award. Only four have ever received the prize, the most recent of which was Barack Obama, and only three have won the Nobel while they were in office. Here’s what earned these presidential recipients one of the most coveted international awards and why controversy often followed.

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt, the larger-than-life 26th president of the United States, became the first statesman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 in recognition of his efforts to broker a peaceful end to the Russo-Japanese War.

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

Like so much in Roosevelt’s life, the decision was controversial. The award was criticized by leftists who condemned the president as a “military mad” imperialist responsible for the American takeover of the Philippines. Swedish newspapers at the time wrote that Alfred Nobel, the award’s namesake, was “turning in his grave” over the decision, according to the Nobel Foundation.

For his part, Roosevelt used his Nobel acceptance speech to advocate for the formation of an international body for world peace. “It would be a masterstroke if those great powers honestly bent on peace would form a League of Peace, not only to keep the peace among themselves, but to prevent, by force if necessary, its being broken by others,” he said.

Woodrow Wilson

The type of organization Roosevelt envisioned would later become a reality with the foundation of the League of Nations. Woodrow Wilson, the 38th president of the United States, was one of the primary architects of the international organization, and it was for that reason he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

Wilson also received the recognition for his role in helping end World War I, a conflict he sought to keep the United States out of in the first place. Wilson’s Fourteen Points statement of principles for peace—which addressed territorial issues, arms reduction, and trade conditions, among other factors—helped inform the peace negotiations.

As with Roosevelt, Wilson’s Nobel Prize was considered controversial. The World War I peace negotiations were difficult and contentious, and the League of Nations was significantly weakened when the United States refused to join it. For this reason, some on the Nobel Committee disagreed with the decision to give Wilson the award.

Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter was widely considered to have one of the greatest post-presidencies in U.S. history. So when he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his lifetime of work advancing human rights and world peace efforts, it was a great honor but not a particular surprise.

In fact, Carter had been nominated for the Nobel Prize at least five other times before winning it, according to Douglas Brinkley’s book The Unfinished Presidency. He nearly won it in 1978 for his role in the Camp David Accords, and many expected him to win in 1994 for his diplomatic efforts in Haiti, for which U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan said he deserved “five Nobel Prizes” alone.

Twenty-one years after leaving the White House, Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize for “his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development,” according to the Nobel Foundation.

Carter was particularly praised for creating The Carter Center with his wife, Rosalynn, in 1982. The nonprofit organization seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health. “Obviously, I’m very grateful to the Nobel Committee for choosing me,” he told CNN after the decision was announced. “I think they’ve announced very clearly that the work of The Carter Center has been a wonderful contribution to the world for the last 20 years.”

Nobel officials also publicly admitted that honoring Carter was an implicit criticism of then-President George W. Bush’s initiation of the Iraq War, according to CNN.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama was only nine months into his first term when it was announced in October 2009 that he had won the Nobel Peace Prize. The decision sparked mixed reactions from both sides of the political aisle, with even Obama, himself, appearing dubious as he addressed “the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated” in his acceptance speech.

“Perhaps the most profound issue surrounding my receipt of this prize is the fact that I am the Commander-in-Chief of the military of a nation in the midst of two wars” in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said. “I come here with an acute sense of the costs of armed conflict—filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace and our effort to replace one with the other.”

The committee awarded Obama for his promotion of nuclear nonproliferation and his support of multilateral diplomacy and “a new climate in international politics.” Nobel committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland defended the decision: “The question we have to ask is who has done the most in the previous year to enhance peace in the world. And who has done more than Barack Obama?”

Colin McEvoy
spacer

Obama last sitting US president to win Nobel Peace prize: Why did he receive the award

The Nobel Committee had lauded Obama for his ‘extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples‘.

 Moneycontrol News
October 10, 2025 / 15:39 IST
join Us on WhatsAppFollow Us On GoogleAdd as a Preferred Source on Google

Obama was eight months into his first term when he received the prestigious award in 2009.

Amid US President Doanld Trump repeatedly expressing that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for stopping “eight wars” in eight months, Venezuelan democracy activist Maria Corina Machado on Friday was declared as the winner.

The last sitting US president to get the peace award was Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama. Hours before the award was announced, Trump said that Obama was only a few months into his presidency when he won the Nobel.

“He got it for doing nothing. Obama got a prize – he didn’t even know what – he got elected, and they gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country,” Trump said. “I’ve stopped eight wars, so that’s never happened before – but they’ll have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine. I know this: I didn’t do it for that, I did it because I saved a lot of lives.”

Obama was eight months into his first term when he received the prestigious award in 2009.

Why did Obama win the Nobel prize?

The Nobel Committee had lauded Obama for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.  Emphasis was also given to his support – in word and deed – for the vision of a world free from nuclear weapons“.

“Even before the election, Obama had advocated dialogue and cooperation across national, ethnic, religious and political dividing lines. As President, he called for a new start to relations between the Muslim world and the West based on common interests and mutual understanding and respect. In accordance with a promise he made during his election campaign, he set in motion a plan for the withdrawal of U.S. occupying forces from Iraq,” according to the official website of The Nobel Peace Prize.

The website stated that during his first year in power, Obama showed himself to be a strong spokesman for human rights and democracy, and as a constructive supporter of the work being done to put effective measures in place to combat the climate crisis. “This is in line with his appeal: “Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges,” it stated.

After winning the prize, Obama said he was “surprised and deeply humbled” and promised to accept the honour as a “call to action” to meet the challenges ahead in his presidency.

At a short White House speech, Obama said he did not view the surprise award as a recognition of his own accomplishments, but rather as a recognition of goals he has set for the United States and the world.     Even he knew he was not worthy and could not justify his selection.

spacer

In light of all that President Trump has done to actually bring PEACE in the World, he certainly deserves the Nobel PEACE PRIZE on the merit of his ACCOMPLISHMENTS in that area.  Certainly, he deserves it much more that Obama deserved to receive it for the concocted reasons given.  Don’t you think?

If they fail to award the Nobel Peace Prize to President Trump it will be just another demonstration of the fact that the ELITE HATE President Trump.

DO YOU KNOW WHY THE ELITE HATE PRESIDENT TRUMP?   BECAUSE HE DOESN’T PLAY BALL WITH THE GLOBALISTS.  HE STANDS UP FOR THE USA, WHETHER THE ELITE LIKE IT OR NOT!  HE WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR TREATIES AND OATHS.  HE IS NOT WILLING TO POUR OUR US TAX DOLLARS INTO THEIR ANTI-WHITE, ANTI-SOVERIGNTY, ANTI-FREEMDOM, CLIMATE CHANGE, NEW WORLD ORDER PROGRAMS.  

 

Personally, I find the Nobel Peace Prize to be a worthless accolade.  President Trump doesn’t need it in order to feel recognized for his efforts.  The world knows that without him the hostages would have never come home and peace in the Middle East would not be one step closer to becoming reality.  President Trump is uniquely qualified and gifted for the position of Peace Maker in the Middle East.  He was born into the world for such a time as this.  

What happens from here is in GOD’s Hands.  Only time will tell if this is the beginning of the final peace agreement that leads into the next phase of the End Time Bible Prophecies.

spacer

WHAT TRUMP JUST DID IS IN THE BIBLE || JOHN MACARTHUR
YouTube
JFM Legacy
1 views
6 days ago

spacer