Trump Declares End to Gaza War in Knesset Speech, Blames Obama and Biden for Past Failures
President Donald Trump delivered a historic address to Israel’s Knesset on Monday, October 13, 2025, declaring the end of the Gaza war while launching sharp attacks on his Democratic predecessors, former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Trump’s hour-long speech came as the final 20 living Israeli hostages were released from Gaza and more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli jails as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.
Historic Address to Israeli Parliament
Trump became only the fourth American president to address the Knesset, joining Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. The president characterized the ceasefire deal he helped broker as marking “the historic dawn of a new Middle East”.
“This is not only the end of a war, this is the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God.”
— President Donald Trump
Trump’s address drew enthusiastic applause from Israeli lawmakers, with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana praising him as a “colossus who will be enshrined in the pantheon of history” for his accomplishments related to Israel.
Sharp Criticism of Obama and Biden
The president reserved his harshest criticism for former presidents Obama and Biden, accusing both of harboring “absolute hatred” toward Israel. Trump claimed that progress in the Middle East “could have happened a long time ago, but it was strangled and set back almost irretrievably by the administrations of Barack Obama and then Joe Biden”.
Trump particularly condemned the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated under Obama, calling it “a disaster for Israel and it was a disaster for everyone”. He argued that setbacks in the region “really started when President Obama signed the Iran nuclear deal,” claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had unsuccessfully tried to convince Obama against the agreement.
However, fact-checkers noted that Iran had largely complied with the 2015 nuclear agreement, which aimed to prevent nuclear weapons development in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump withdrew from the accord in 2018, leading Iran to reduce its compliance with the deal.
Context on U.S.-Israel Relations
Experts disputed Trump’s characterization of the Obama and Biden administrations’ relationships with Israel. Osamah Khalil, a history professor at Syracuse University and an expert on the modern Middle East, countered that it is inaccurate to claim that Obama or Biden harbored personal animosity toward Israel.
“Both administrations oversaw increases in U.S. military assistance and collaboration with Israel. In 2016, Obama enacted the largest military aid package in U.S. history.”
— Osamah Khalil, Syracuse University
In 2016, the U.S. and Israel finalized a 10-year, $38 billion memorandum of understanding, which outlined priorities including modernizing the Israeli air fleet and sustaining the nation’s missile defense system. Military funding for Israel persisted under Biden, who authorized the deployment of U.S. troops in and around Israel and Gaza while also blocking numerous ceasefire resolutions at the UN.
Egypt Summit on Gaza’s Future
Trump, el-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani formally signed a document that Trump said would “spell out a lot of rules and regulations and lots of other things”. The memorandum, dubbed “The Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity,” laid out broad commitments the four leaders agreed to uphold in backing Trump’s peace plan but appeared largely symbolic.
“A new and beautiful day is dawning, and the reconstruction now commences. Rebuilding might prove to be the simplest aspect. We possess the expertise to construct better than anyone else globally.”
— President Donald Trump at Sharm el-Sheikh
Netanyahu did not attend the summit, stating he could not accept Trump’s invitation due to the Jewish holiday Shemini Atzeret, which commenced that evening.
The 20-Point Peace Plan
The ceasefire represents the first phase of Trump’s ambitious 20-point peace plan, which includes establishing an international stabilization force in Gaza and transitioning governance away from Hamas. Under the plan, Arab and international partners will develop a stabilization force to deploy in Gaza, while day-to-day governance would shift from Hamas to a Palestinian committee. The committee will include Palestinians and international experts, with oversight by the “Board of Peace,” chaired by Trump and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The future phases of the plan aimed at achieving lasting peace are complicated and uncertain. Key issues remain unresolved, including the disarmament of Hamas, the establishment of a post-war governance structure for Gaza, and the extent of Israel’s withdrawal from the territory.
Humanitarian Impact and Controversy
The two-year conflict, which began with a Hamas assault on October 7, 2023, resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths in Israel and 251 individuals taken captive. Israeli military operations have reportedly killed over 67,000-68,000 Palestinians, with more than half being women and children, according to health officials in Gaza. Israel has destroyed 92 percent of all residential structures in Gaza, home to 2.3 million individuals.
A United Nations inquiry commission has labeled the Israeli actions in Gaza as genocide. Many areas Palestinians once recognized are now unidentifiable, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.
The United Nations reported that humanitarian assistance is increasing, with cooking gas entering Gaza for the first time since March, alongside enhanced deliveries of food and medical supplies.
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