‘You Changed Everything Overnight’: Netanyahu’s Emotional Tribute to Trump Amid Historic Hostage Release

New Delhi: In a deeply emotional and historic address to the Knesset, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday thanked former U.S. President Donald Trump for what he called “unwavering leadership and friendship” throughout Israel’s war with Hamas,  marking what analysts describe as a pivotal moment in Middle East diplomacy.  

“When our country was under maximum pressure, a man named Donald J. Trump was elected President of the United States. Overnight, everything changed,” Netanyahu said, drawing a standing ovation from members of the Israeli parliament.

Netanyahu credited Trump’s diplomatic and military counsel for shaping Israel’s recent victory and the subsequent peace accord that has led to the release of 20 remaining hostages by Hamas. The release, brokered under a U.S.-mediated peace deal, saw Israel free nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Thank you for withdrawing from the deadly and sacrificial nuclear deal,” Netanyahu began, referring to Trump’s earlier foreign policy decisions. “Thank you for Operation Rising Lion and Midnight Hammer. Thank you for your leadership, Mr. President. Thank you for the proposal that brings all our hostages home. Thank you for ending the war by achieving all our agreements. We will achieve this peace together.”

Reflecting on the human cost of the conflict, Netanyahu grew somber:

“We remember the 1,200 people Hamas killed. We remember entire families that were burnt alive. These monsters took babies as hostages. We defended our people and brought them back. Our soldiers fought like lions. Israel achieved a major victory against them.”

He paused to honor the fallen soldiers, saying:

“The price of this victory was heavy — 2,000 lives were lost. I know the grief that will accompany you for the rest of your life. We bow our heads for all the soldiers who sacrificed their lives.”

Turning again to Trump, Netanyahu added a personal note:

“Mr. President, you asked me many times, ‘How are the people holding up?’ I said, our people are strong. We are the country of lions.”

Netanyahu credited Trump’s strategic advice for turning the tide:

“Two months ago, you were the one who suggested I send the IDF into the last Hamas stronghold — and we were right. Hamas gave up. You brought almost the whole world together for the agreement to end the war. Israel’s military pressure, along with President Trump’s unmatched global leadership, helped us achieve this historic moment.”

Invoking religious imagery, he added:

“The Bible has many miraculous moments. One of them was your decision. It will be written in history. It has changed the balance of the world.”

With emotion in his voice, Netanyahu concluded:

“As Prime Minister of Israel, I extend a hand to all who seek peace. No one wants peace more than our people. Thank you for being there when no one was. Thank you for holding our hand when everyone left. Thank you for being a great friend to us and for your extraordinary help. May God bless you and your family. May God bless the United States, the people of Israel, and everyone.”

He also announced that Trump would receive Israel’s highest non-citizen honor, the Non-Israel Recipient Award, in recognition of his role in the peace process.

A Turning Point in the Region

Earlier that morning, all 20 surviving hostages freed by Hamas arrived in Israel, a key milestone in the peace deal mediated by Trump. The exchange, organized by the Red Cross, involves Israel releasing approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza.

The captives were among 48 prisoners, both alive and dead, still held by Palestinian militants, according to the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing. The U.S.-led diplomatic effort has been hailed by both Washington and Jerusalem as a decisive step toward ending the conflict and restoring regional stability.

Arriving in Israel for what he called a “very special visit,” Trump expressed confidence that the truce would hold.

“The conflict is over. All right? You understand that?” he told reporters before meeting families of those detained in the October 7, 2023, cross-border attack that ignited the war.

After his meetings with Netanyahu and an address to the Knesset, Trump is scheduled to travel to Egypt, where he will meet President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and around 20 other world leaders to discuss his proposed framework for long-term regional peace. His plan envisions Israel’s gradual withdrawal from Gaza and the establishment of a new government under a U.S.-led multinational coalition.

Despite cautious optimism, and lingering distrust between Israel and Hamas, both leaders have called the moment a “new chapter” in Israeli-Palestinian relations, defined by military resilience, diplomatic pragmatism, and a shared desire for peace.