Donald Trump To Get Israel's Highest Civilian Award For Hostage Deal
Israel's President Isaac Herzog will formally convey his decision to confer the 'Presidential Medal of Honour' to Trump during their Knesset meeting on Monday.
US President Donald Trump will receive Israel's highest civilian award for his role in bringing an end to the Gaza war and ensuring the release of all hostages abducted by Hamas two years ago.
Israel's President Isaac Herzog will formally convey his decision to confer the 'Presidential Medal of Honour', awarded to those who have made outstanding contributions to the State of Israel or humanity, to Trump during their Knesset meeting on Monday, according to the Israeli government.
The time and place for the medal ceremony have not yet been determined, as per local media reports.
“President Trump’s legacy will be remembered for generations by the State of Israel and the Jewish people," Herzog said in a statement.
"From his unwavering support for the State of Israel, to the advent of the Abraham Accords which expanded the circle of peace in our region, from the two historic agreements that brought our dear hostages home and saved countless lives, to the decisive strike on Iran’s nuclear program, President Trump’s voice has always been one of courage and leadership, and of steadfast commitment to the pursuit of peace and humanity," he said.
"President Trump has not only helped bring our loved ones home but has also laid the foundations for a new era in the Middle East built on security, cooperation, and genuine hope for a peaceful future. It will be a great honor for me to present him with the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor," he added.
Notably, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, which he did not win this year.
Hero's Welcome
Before landing in Israel, Trump declared the two-year long war in Gaza is over, suggesting normalisation of ties in the region is underway. "I think the ceasefire will hold, we have a lot of verbal guarantees," he said.
The US president is set to receive a hero's welcome in the Israeli parliament after he brokered a deal that allows return of the last remaining hostages from Gaza and an end to a war that has killed over 67,000 Palestinians and flattened the tiny enclave along the Mediterranean Sea.
Nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israel will also be freed as part of the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire deal.
Trump will meet Netanyahu and the families of the Israeli hostages. Later on Monday, leaders from more than 20 countries will join Trump in Egypt for a summit on Gaza’s future.
Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed on the first phase of the Gaza peace plan on Thursday that allows for the release of Israeli hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from some parts.
The announcement comes after two years of war in Gaza, triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel that killed nearly 1,200 people and more than 250 others taken hostage.
