Trump to Knesset: 'Israel victory brings peace'. To Iran: 'Open hand'. To Herzog: 'Grace for Netanyahu'

US President Donald Trump gave a speech this morning in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, almost simultaneously with the release of the still-alive hostages held by Hamas. "Israel," said Trump according to excerpts of the speech released by the White House, "has won everything that could be achieved by force of arms. Now it is time to turn these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize: peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East." He added: "Together we have shown that peace is not just a hope we can dream of, but a reality we can build on, day after day, person after person, nation after nation.

"We gather together on a day of deep joy, of growing hope, of renewed faith," the American president continued, "and, above all, a day to give our deepest thanks to the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today the sky is clear, the guns are silent, the sirens no longer sound, and the sun rises over a Holy Land at peace at last. It is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.

"The cruelty of 7 October struck at the heart of humanity itself," Trump emphasised, "The United States of America mourned with you and mourned its own citizens who were killed in such a brutal manner. To all the families whose lives were forever changed by the atrocities of that day, and to all the people of Israel, know that America joins you in these two eternal vows: Never forget and never again.

There was a significant passage on Gaza: 'The focus on Gaza,' said the US President, 'must be entirely on restoring the fundamentals of stability, security, dignity and economic development, so that they can finally have the better life their children deserve.

And again: 'It should be clear to everyone in this region by now that decades of fomenting terrorism, extremism, jihadism and anti-Semitism have not worked: they have backfired completely.' Trump also made an opening to Iran: 'It is more evident than ever that the productive and responsible nations of this region should not be enemies or adversaries, but partners and eventually even friends,' he added. 'Even with Iran, whose regime has inflicted so much death in the Middle East, the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.