A trio of Trump diplomats celebrated the historic Gaza peace deal alongside a massive crowd in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square on Saturday night — while nervously anticipating the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.
US envoy Middle East Steve Witkoff, first daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner — who recently emerged as a key player in the long-shot peace negotiations — addressed a gathering of tens of thousands, who waved American and Israeli flags and held placards with images of Hamas-held hostages.
“God-willing we’ve accomplished the first phase. It’s been rocky. One day we’ll tell you the story, it’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry. It was crazy,” Jared Kushner, a former advisor to President Trump, said.
Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff (left) addressed the energetic crowd on Saturday night ahead of the implementation of the long-sought peace plan. ABIR SULTAN/EPA/Shutterstock“October 7th for me was a shattering day. And seeing these horrific barbaric acts shocked me to my core in a way that I’ll never be the same,” Kushner said, holding back a tear. “Since then, my heart has not been complete.”
“We’re not gonna celebrate tonight, we’re gonna celebrate on Monday,” Kushner said, noting the deadline when the hostages are set to be released.
Here’s the latest on the Gaza cease-fire deal
- Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump address cheering crowds in Tel Aviv to celebrate peace deal
- 200 US soldiers arrive in Israel, as Witkoff confirms IDF troops completed first phase of withdrawal from Gaza
- Trump set to fly to Israel to mark historic peace deal while preparing public for grim hostage release
- Putin chides Nobel winners who ‘did nothing for peace’ — tries to cozy up to Trump with Gaza deal praise
- American military to oversee initial Gaza peacekeeping force — but ‘no US troops are intended to go into Gaza’
There are 48 hostages still being held in Gaza — 20 of whom are thought to still be alive.
Kushner praised – and also poked fun — at the notoriously brash Witkoff after the special envoy to the Middle East gave a somber and emotional address to the high-energy crowd with phase one of the cease-fire agreement already underway.
Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square to celebrate the landmark peace deal secured by the Trump administration. AP“I’ve had the great honor for the last ten months of working with Steve very closely, more so the last month,” Kushner said, later adding, “I noticed he had no four letter words in his speech because I think he used them all up in the negotiation.”
Ivanka Trump also addressed the energetic crowd which repeatedly broke out into spontaneous chants of “thank you Trump.”
“Tonight, as we stand here together in Tel Aviv, we honor the strength of every family waiting, praying, and believing,” she said regarding the hostages. “The president wanted me to share, as he has with so many of you personally, that he sees you, he hears you, he stands with you, always. Always.
The crowd broke out into spontaneous chants of “thank you Trump” and waved American and Israeli flags to celebrate the peace deal. APWe’re all praying for Monday and beyond.”
Witkoff, during his emotional speech, said, “We stand here tonight, Jews, Christians, Muslims, and people from every corner of the world, united by one shared prayer for peace.”
On the heels of the peace agreement that hopes to end the war in Gaza, President Trump announced he will be visiting Israel and speaking at the Knesset on Monday before traveling to Egypt for a formal signing of the 20-point plan.
