WASHINGTON: Former US President Bill Clinton has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, calling it a necessary step toward lasting peace in the region.
In a post on X, Clinton said, “The horrors of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, and the conflict they reignited, have resulted in unbearable human loss. It has been hard to watch and nearly impossible to rationalize.”
He expressed relief that a ceasefire had taken hold, noting the humanitarian progress made since. “I’m grateful that a ceasefire has taken hold, that the last 20 living hostages have been freed, and that desperately needed aid has begun to flow into Gaza. President Trump and his administration, Qatar, and other regional actors deserve great credit for keeping everyone engaged until the agreement was reached,” Clinton said.
Looking ahead, Clinton urged all parties to work together to ensure the ceasefire leads to a lasting solution. “Now Israel and Hamas–with the support of the United States, the region, and the world–must try to turn this fragile moment into lasting peace that provides for the dignity and security of both Palestinians and Israelis,” he said.
Concluding his message, Clinton added, “I believe that they can get there, but only if they do it together.”
His remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump described the Gaza ceasefire as “the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” echoing similar optimism about the future of the region and saying the forces of “chaos, terror, and ruin” have been defeated and the “long and painful nightmare” is finally over, not only for Israelis but also for Palestinians.
Hailing the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, Trump said it would mark the beginning of a “Golden Age” for Israel and the Middle East.
Addressing the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, Trump stated that the entire region had endorsed the plan for demilitarising Gaza and disarming Hamas. “It is not only the End of a war–it is the END of an age of terror and death,” he said.
In what was the first US presidential address to the Israeli parliament since 2008, Trump said, “This long and difficult war has ended. In an unprecedented achievement, virtually the entire region has endorsed the plan that Gaza will be demilitarised and Hamas will be disarmed, and Israel’s security will not be threatened.”
He emphasised that Israel had achieved all that was possible through military means and that it was now time for peace. “Israel has won all that they can by force of arms. Now, it’s time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of PEACE and PROSPERITY for the entire Middle East. Across the Middle East, the forces of chaos, terror, and ruin that have plagued the region for decades now stand weakened… defeated. A new coalition of proud and responsible nations is emerging–and because of us, the enemies of all civilisation are in retreat,” he said.
Trump added that peace had finally arrived for both Israelis and Palestinians. “For so many families across this land, it has been years since you have known a single day of true peace. But now, at last–not only for Israelis but also for Palestinians and for many others–the long and painful nightmare is finally OVER,” he said.
Recalling the Hamas attacks two years ago, Trump said the events of October 7, 2023, in which over 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 people abducted, would now be followed by everlasting peace. “Two years ago… thousands of innocent Israeli civilians were attacked by terrorists in one of the most evil and heinous desecrations of innocent life the world has ever seen… please know that America joins you in those two everlasting vows–NEVER FORGET, and NEVER AGAIN. Generations from now, this will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change… Like the USA right now, it will be the GOLDEN AGE of Israel and the Golden Age of the Middle East,” he said.
Trump described the ceasefire as a transformative moment for the region. “This is not only the End of a war–it is the END of an age of terror and death, and the BEGINNING of the age of faith, hope, and of God… This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East. After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families… And after so many years of unceasing war and endless danger, today, the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is FINALLY AT PEACE–a land and a region that will live, God willing, in peace for all eternity,” he said.
Without elaborating further, Trump also said that during his tenure, he had “settled eight wars.” “If we go into a war, we are going to win it like nobody ever has won it before… We will not be politically correct. We have settled 8 wars in 8 months, including this one,” he said.
Calling for unity in the Middle East, Trump said the region’s “productive and responsible nations” should work together instead of being adversaries. “It’s more obvious than ever that the productive and responsible nations of this region should not be enemies or adversaries, you should be partners–and eventually even friends. The choice for Palestinians could not be more clear. This is their chance to turn forever from the path of terror and violence… The total focus of Gazans must be on restoring the fundamentals… so they can finally have the better life their children deserve,” he said.
He also called for an end to extremism and anti-Semitism across the region. “It should now be clear to everyone throughout the region that decades of fomenting terrorism and extremism, jihadism and anti-Semitism, have not worked… From Gaza to Iran, those bitter hatreds have delivered nothing but misery, suffering, failure, and death,” he said.
Earlier on October 13, Trump met with hostages who were released as part of the ceasefire agreement and heard their accounts of captivity, as he underscored the human cost of the conflict and the significance of the truce in restoring peace. (ANI)
Also Read:Â ”No one is expelling anyone from Gaza”: Donald Trump
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