Netanyahu declares ‘end of two years of war’ in Knesset address

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Monday that the day “marks the end of two years of war,” speaking alongside US President Donald Trump in a historic session of the Knesset.

Addressing lawmakers ahead of Trump’s speech, Netanyahu reflected on the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, which ignited the devastating two-year conflict.

“Israel remembers the horrors of that day, when thousands of terrorists invaded our land, murdered 1,200 innocent people, committed atrocities, and took 251 hostages, including many children,” Netanyahu said. “These monsters take babies as hostages.”

The prime minister said Israel responded “with indomitable courage” to defend its people, defeat its enemies, and secure the release of captives.

“Israel did what it had to do,” he continued. “With courage and determination, we set out to defend our people, to defeat our enemies, and to release our hostages.”

Netanyahu hailed what he called Israel’s “amazing victories over Hamas and the entire Iranian terror axis,” crediting both Israeli resilience and American support.

He told Trump that Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs had been “rolled back,” and thanked the United States for its role in what he described as a new era of peace and stability in the region.

The address came just before Trump was set to deliver his own remarks to the Knesset, where he is expected to declare the Gaza ceasefire deal a “historic dawn of a new Middle East.”