During the first such address by a US president since 2008, Trump said the day would mark "the moment that everything began to change, and change very much for the better" in the Middle East. Trump's address to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, comes on the day that the last 20 living hostages held in the Palestinian enclave were released by Hamas. Israel is releasing 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 other Palestinians detained during the two-year military operations in Gaza.

During a whirlwind trip to the region, Trump is also attending a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and other world leaders. After arriving in Egypt, he said the second phase of negotiations on a peace agreement were under way. During his address to the Knesset earlier in the day, the American president suggested the region was experiencing "the historic dawn of a new Middle East".

His words echoed the phrasing he used when Israel signed landmark deals with several Arab states during his first presidency. "At last, not only for Israelis but also Palestinians, the long and painful nightmare is finally over," Trump said. Adding to the jubilant atmosphere in the room were politicians' chants of "Trump, Trump, Trump". The ceasefire that he helped to broker was "the most challenging breakthrough of them all, the most challenging breakthrough maybe ever", the US leader reflected. He indicated that ending the Russia-Ukraine war would be his next focus. Trump gave an insight into some of his recent conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he felt the Israeli military campaign in Gaza was becoming "bad" and "heated". "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 recalled. His speech was briefly interrupted as an opposition parliament member held up a piece of paper that said "Recognise Palestine". At least one person was escorted out of the room. (BBC)