Top officials from the United States and Ukraine met in Florida on Sunday to discuss the framework of a possible peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former adviser, met in Miami with Ukraine’s delegation led by Rustem Umerov, the head of head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
“The end goal, obviously, is not just the end of the war, obviously–that’s central and fundamental. We want to see an end of the killing and the death and the suffering, and I’m sure the Ukrainian side, I know they do, as well,” said Rubio in <a href="https://x.com/ralakbar/status/1995151907892154452">remarks</a> before the meeting. “But it’s also about securing an end to the war that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity.”
Umerov thanked Trump’s negotiation team for their support in brief remarks after Rubio’s.
“We are discussing about the future of Ukraine, about the security of Ukraine, about no repetition of aggression of Ukraine, about prosperity of Ukraine, about how to rebuild Ukraine. And we are thankful for the efforts of United States and its team to helping us. U.S. is hearing us, U.S. is supporting us, U.S. is beside us,” said Umerov.
The delegations met as the two sides and Russia continue to hammer out revisions to Trump’s original 28-point framework for peace in Ukraine. The starting offer proposed by the United States reportedly received stiff objections from Ukrainian officials over a cap to Ukraine’s military, ceding territory not under Russia’s direct control, and other issues.
“The American side is demonstrating a constructive approach, and in the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1994823440860078412">said</a>. “The Ukrainian delegation has the necessary directives, and I expect the guys to work in accordance with clear Ukrainian priorities.”
Substantial revisions have since been made to initial peace plan, though the specifics have been guarded from the public. Ukraine has sought security guarantees and rejected suggestions of ceding additional land to Russia. Russia has insisted that Ukraine abandon “occupied territories.&#8221;
Last week, Yuri Ushakov, a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that the Kremlin had received the latest version of the peace framework but declined to offer an opinion on it.
“This isn’t an official one, but we do have the document. We haven’t discussed it with anyone yet because the points in it require truly serious analysis and discussion,” said Ushakov, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/30/europe/ukraine-russia-peace-talks-miami-florida-intl">CNN</a>.

Miami meeting

Marco Rubio, Top Ukraine Officials Hammer out ‘Framework’ For Peace In Miami Meeting

Marco Rubio, Top Ukraine Officials Hammer out 'Framework' For Peace In Miami Meeting

Jared Kushner

Marco Rubio

Steve Witkoff

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

United States

President Donald Trump defended U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday after a leaked phone call showed the diplomat advising a top Russian aide on how to approach Trump.
Witkoff’s phone call with Yuri Ushakov, top foreign policy aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, took place last month. Bloomberg published a transcript of the call on Tuesday, igniting backlash and calls for Witkoff&#8217;s removal for allegedly favoring Russia over Ukraine.
Trump dismissed complaints over the phone call, saying that what took place was “standard” negotiation.
“That’s a standard thing, you know, because he’s gotta sell this to Ukraine, he’s gotta sell Ukraine to Russia. That’s what a deal maker does. You gotta say, look, they want this, you’ve gotta convince him with this, and you know, that’s a very standard form of negotiation,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/CBSNews/status/1993722285883068521">said</a> when asked about the phone call aboard Air Force One on Tuesday evening.
“I haven’t heard it, but I heard it was standard negotiation. And I would imagine he’s saying the same thing to Ukraine, because each party has to give and take,” the president added.
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Trump also dismissed concerns that Witkoff is pro-Russian.
“No, I think, look, this war could go on for years, and Russia’s got a lot more people and a lot more soldiers, you know? So I think if Ukraine can make a deal, it’s a good thing. I think it’s great for both,” said Trump.
The phone call sparked backlash from some Republicans, such as Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska.
“For those who oppose the Russian invasion and want to see Ukraine prevail as a sovereign &amp; democratic country, it is clear that Witkoff fully favors the Russians. He cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations. Would a Russian paid agent do less than he? He should be fired,” <a href="https://x.com/RepDonBacon/status/1993446393076498714">said</a> Bacon.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania <a href="https://x.com/RepBrianFitz/status/1993428150492316095">called</a> the phone call “a major problem. And one of the many reasons why these ridiculous side shows and secret meetings need to stop.”
In the October 14 phone call, Witkoff advised Ushakov on how Putin should approach Trump to have the most favorable meeting, including flattering Trump with compliments over the recently struck ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The U.S. envoy said a similar plan to the 20-point Israel-Hamas plan could be struck between Russia and Ukraine.
Witkoff also advised Ushakov that Putin should schedule a phone call with Trump before Trump was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Maybe he (Putin) says to President Trump: you know, Steve and Yuri discussed a very similar 20-point plan to peace and that could be something that we think might move the needle a little bit, we’re open to those sorts of things — to explore what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done,” Witkoff said, according to the transcript published by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-25/witkoff-discusses-ukraine-plans-with-key-putin-aide-transcript">Bloomberg</a>.
“Now, me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere. But I’m saying instead of talking like that, let’s talk more hopefully because I think we’re going to get to a deal here. And I think Yuri, the president will give me a lot of space and discretion to get to the deal,” Witkoff said.

Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump

Trump Dismisses Backlash Against Witkoff Over Leaked Phone Call With Top Russian Diplomat

Donald Trump

Russia

Vladimir Putin

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that his team is making &#8220;tremendous progress&#8221; toward ending the years-long Russia-Ukraine war, offering updates on his peace negotiations ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Trump&#8217;s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as his Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll meets with the Ukrainians, the president shared. Though there had been some talk of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky coming to the United States this week, Trump dispelled this rumor, noting that he will only meet with Zelensky and Putin when they have reached a deal.
&#8220;Over the past week, my team has made tremendous progress with respect to ending the War between Russia and Ukraine (A War that would have NEVER started if I were President!),&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Last month 25,000 soldiers died. The original 28-Point Peace Plan, which was drafted by the United States, has been fine-tuned, with additional input from both sides, and there are only a few remaining points of disagreement.&#8221;
&#8220;I will be briefed on all progress made, along with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles,&#8221; the president added of his team&#8217;s meetings with the warring world leaders.
<div id="attachment_1006069" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-vows-no-meetings-with-putin-zelensky-until-the-deal-to-end-this-war-is-final/u-s-washington-d-c-trump-ukraine-zelensky-meeting" rel="attachment wp-att-1006069"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1006069" class="wp-image-1006069 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>U.S. President Donald Trump 2nd L welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Photo by Hu Yousong/Xinhua via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;I look forward to hopefully meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Putin soon, but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages,&#8221; he concluded. &#8220;Thank you for your attention to this very important matter, and let’s all hope that PEACE can be accomplished AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!&#8221;
The president&#8217;s statement came after news that Ukraine has agreed to the terms of a potential peace deal, negotiated by the Trump White House, that could end the years-long war with Russia.
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“The Ukrainians have agreed to the peace deal,” Driscoll <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-holds-secret-meetings-russians-abu-dhabi-ukraine/story?id=127840867" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> ABC News on Tuesday morning. “There are some minor details to be sorted out but they have agreed to a peace deal.”
A White House official told The Daily Wire late Tuesday morning that no meeting between Zelensky and President Trump had been scheduled “at this time,&#8221; and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also stressed Tuesday morning that “there are a few delicate, but not insurmountable, details that must be sorted out and will require further talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States.”
A spokesman for Driscoll, who was part of a Monday evening meeting of U.S. officials with the Russian delegation, said in a statement that “late Monday and throughout Tuesday, Secretary Driscoll and team have been in discussions with the Russian delegation to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine.”
“The talks are going well and we remain optimistic,” said LTC Jeff Tolbert, who is Driscoll’s spokesman. “Secretary Driscoll is closely synchronized with the White House and the U.S. interagency as these talks progress.”

President Trump Pardons Thanksgiving Turkeys

Trump Vows No Meetings With Putin, Zelensky Until ‘The Deal To End This War Is FINAL’

Global Politics

U.S. Army

Volodymyr Zelensky

World

For the past month, the Trump administration has been &#8220;quietly working&#8221; on a newly devised peace plan between Russia and Ukraine that forces both sides to make concessions, a senior U.S. official told The Daily Wire on Thursday.
Trump&#8217;s special envoy Steve Witkoff has spearheaded the latest effort to bring the war to an end, and President Donald Trump has given his support for the plan, according to the U.S. official.
&#8220;Special Envoy Witkoff has been quietly working on this plan for a month, receiving input from both the Ukrainians and the Russians on what terms are acceptable to them to end the war,&#8221; the official said.
Axios first <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/19/ukraine-peace-plan-trump-russia-witkoff">reported</a> on the plan on Tuesday, writing that the administration hopes to bring Russia and Ukraine to an agreement on a 28-point deal that was inspired by Trump&#8217;s 20-point Gaza peace proposal. Trump successfully got Israel and Hamas to agree to parts of his 20-point plan last month, but that ceasefire remains fragile.
Witkoff has reportedly discussed the plan extensively with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev. The Russian diplomat told Axios that he, Witkoff, and other Trump officials were in Miami for three days in late October. Dmitriev was optimistic about the talks, saying, &#8220;We feel the Russian position is really being heard.&#8221;
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Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/19/trump-ukraine-peace-plan-russia-donbas">reported</a> on Wednesday that the new Trump plan to end the war would require major concessions from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukraine would be asked to cede additional territory to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in exchange for U.S. security guarantees that would protect Ukraine and Europe from further Russian aggression, according to Axios, which cited &#8220;a U.S. official with direct knowledge.&#8221;
The Trump administration pushed back on the claim that Ukraine would be getting the raw end of the deal. A senior U.S. official told The Daily Wire that the peace plan would require both Russia and Ukraine to make concessions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://x.com/marcorubio/status/1991297619964854460?s=20">said</a> on Wednesday that &#8220;durable peace will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions.&#8221; Rubio added that the administration is continuing &#8220;to develop a list of potential ideas for ending this war based on input from both sides of this conflict.&#8221;
The Daily Wire also reached out to the State Department for comment.
The war is nearing the four-year mark, and President Trump has so far been unable to move Putin toward a peace deal since coming back into office in January. Trump&#8217;s summit with Putin in August promised progress on a peace plan, but yielded no significant results. Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Putin and imposed additional sanctions on Russian oil companies. A Treasury Department spokesman told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-sanctions-on-russian-oil-are-starving-putins-war-machine?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Trump+Sanctions+On+Russian+Oil+Are+%E2%80%98Starving+Putin%E2%80%99s+War+Machine%E2%80%99">The Daily Wire</a> on Wednesday, &#8220;Russian oil is now selling at multi-year lows, starving Putin’s war machine.&#8221;
The war, which broke out while former President Joe Biden was in office, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, according to estimates. Russia has recently ramped up its attacks on Ukraine, targeting cities with drone and missile strikes.
&#8220;President Trump has been clear since day one that he wants the war between Russia [and] Ukraine to end, and he has grown frustrated with both sides for their refusal to commit to a peace agreement,&#8221; White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement shared with The Daily Wire. &#8220;Nevertheless, the President and his team never gives up, and the United States has been working on a detailed and acceptable plan for both sides to stop the killing and create a durable, lasting peace.&#8221;

Donald Trump/Vladimir Putin/Volodymyr Zelensky

Trump Admin ‘Quietly Working’ On A Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan That Mirrors Gaza Deal

Trump Admin 'Quietly Working' On New Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan That Mirrors Gaza Deal

Trump Administration

Speaking on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Trump negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff bluntly rebutted the charge of “genocide” that has been hurled at Israel as it fought its war of survival against the terrorist group Hamas.
Asked by host Lesley Stahl, “Would you say now, having been there, that it was genocide?,” Kushner declared, “No. No,” as Witkoff added, “Absolutely not. No, no, there was a war being fought.”
Kushner detailed what his team sees as the next phase after the cease-fire they arranged, which allowed Israeli hostages taken by Hamas to be returned.
“You can&#8217;t replace a corrupt government with another corrupt government,” Kushner said of Hamas. “So the goal here is to set up a transparent, good government. This can be very, very difficult to do, but we&#8217;re in the very early phases of trying to accomplish that.&#8221;
Stahl said, “Part of the plan is the reconstruction, the building, rebuilding of Gaza. And — you&#8217;re builders. You&#8217;ve been in real estate. As you said, it&#8217;s extremely complex. Tell us more about the plan and how much it&#8217;s gonna cost. Where is the money gonna come from? And who&#8217;s gonna award the contracts?”
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“You know, the estimates are in the $50 billion range,” Witkoff replied. “It might be a little bit less; it might be a little bit more. I happen to think that that&#8217;s not a lot of money in that region. You have governments that are gonna jump on in &#8230; you&#8217;ll see European participation and so forth.”
“We have plans already,” he continued. “We have a master plan already. And by the way — and Jared&#8217;s been pushing this and we&#8217;re working together on it — and I think if the world saw the progress so far they&#8217;d be pretty impressed.”
“By the way, none of the reconstruction money is gonna be going in until you have terror-free zones, because nobody wants to invest this money into a place where it&#8217;s just gonna get destroyed again by terrorism,” Witkoff elaborated.
“If Gaza is starting to show signs of being peaceful and not a threat to Israel, there&#8217;s nothing more that Israel would like more than to not have to have a heavy military presence there,” Kushner said.
Stahl turned to the antisemitism that has mushroomed since the October 7 Hamas massacre of more than 1200 Israelis, saying, “It seems that this war has created a rash of antisemitism everywhere.”
“Well, that&#8217;s unacceptable,” Witkoff replied.
“And it&#8217;s even going on in the United States of America,” Stahl pointed out.
“Well, that&#8217;s my point,” Witkoff said, then emphasized that President Trump agreed, adding, “That&#8217;s unacceptable. And that&#8217;s the president&#8217;s position.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-FBL-WC-CLUB-2025-TRUMP

Trump Peace Team Rebukes Gaza Genocide Accusations: ‘There Was A War Being Fought’

Trump Peace Team Rebukes Gaza Genocide Accusations: 'There Was A War Being Fought'

60 Minutes

Hamas

Israel

Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken attempted to credit his boss, former President Joe Biden, with laying the framework for President Donald Trump&#8217;s historic deal in Gaza — the deal that has so far secured the release of all remaining living hostages and will, if followed, end the war between Israel and the terror group Hamas.
Blinken, who was serving as the nation&#8217;s top diplomat when Hamas militants breached the Israeli border and slaughtered more than 1,200 men, women, and children on October 7, 2023, was part of the initial efforts to reach a ceasefire and the return of some 250 hostages who were also abducted on that day. And while he did give President Trump nominal credit for getting an agreement across the finish line, he made it clear that he believed Biden deserved praise for taking the first steps in that direction.
&#8220;In Gaza today, the guns are largely silent. If all goes as planned, the remaining Israeli hostages will return home. Palestinians will get the relief they desperately need and deserve. Nothing can erase the pain and loss of the past two years. But there is real hope of building on this step to finally end the war,&#8221; Blinken began a series of posts on X. &#8220;President Trump and his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner deserve our collective thanks for producing this ceasefire and the renewed possibility of lasting peace.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
(2/12) First, what changed to make this breakthrough possible? Hamas is finally and fully isolated. Arab states and Turkey have said “enough.” The misery Hamas provoked and would allow to persist has delegitimized it among most Gazans. And Hamas realized that the cavalry (Iran,…
— Antony Blinken (@ABlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABlinken/status/1977076426932166686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He then laid out the reasons he believed the deal had finally come to fruition — beginning with the fact that Hamas had been &#8220;finally and fully isolated&#8221; but failing to acknowledge the Trump administration&#8217;s active role in enforcing that isolation. He also noted that Hamas had learned the &#8220;cavalry&#8221; – meaning Hezbollah, the Houthis, and even Iran — would not come to their aid in Gaza, but again omitted the fact that Trump had put pressure on Iran to ensure exactly that outcome.
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&#8220;In the coming days we can expect to see joyful images: of hostages reunited with their loved ones and the people of Gaza getting respite from the war and receiving the help they need,&#8221; Blinken continued, flashing back to the Biden administration and the early ceasefire-for-hostages deals. &#8220;We’ve seen these images before. Under President Biden’s watch, we secured the release of 135 hostages and, in January 2025 we handed over a ceasefire with Israeli forces pulling back, tens of thousands of aid trucks going into Gaza and a post conflict plan for a permanent end to hostilities.&#8221;
The real question going forward, Blinken said, was simple: &#8220;How can we build a lasting peace?&#8221; He then claimed that the Biden administration had developed the plan for Gaza, and that Trump had simply &#8220;adopted and built on&#8221; that.
&#8220;It starts with a clear and comprehensive post conflict plan for Gaza. It’s good that President Trump adopted and built on the plan the Biden Administration developed after months of discussion with Arab partners, Israel and the Palestinian Authority,&#8221; Blinken said.
Trump was neither convinced nor impressed by Blinken&#8217;s claims, and said so to reporters aboard Air Force One. &#8220;Everybody knows that&#8217;s a joke. They did such a bad job. This should&#8217;ve never happened. This wouldn&#8217;t have happened. That was weak leadership, terrible — and the same thing with Russia,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Everything they did was the opposite of what you should&#8217;ve done.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;Everybody knows that&#8217;s a joke. They did such a bad job. This should&#8217;ve never happened&#8230; Everything they did was the opposite of what you should&#8217;ve done.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/NAJbjDO9qf">https://t.co/NAJbjDO9qf</a> <a href="https://t.co/m27U4btgZf">pic.twitter.com/m27U4btgZf</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1977545927159083136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sec. Anthony Blinken

Antony Blinken Tries To Give Biden Credit For Teeing Up Trump’s Gaza Deal

Antony Blinken

Gaza

Joe Biden

Politics

On Saturday, Israeli citizens packed the streets of what&#8217;s been dubbed &#8220;Hostage Square&#8221; in Tel Aviv, showing their gratitude for President Donald Trump, who brokered a peace deal to end Israel’s two-year war in Gaza and release Israeli hostages.
Those in attendance repeatedly chanted &#8220;Thank you, Trump,&#8221; wore &#8220;MAGA&#8221; apparel, and even held a massive banner that called for the president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
<div id="attachment_984751" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-984751" class="wp-image-984751 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2240008731.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Chris McGrath/Getty Images</div>
Speaking to CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, the network&#8217;s international correspondent Clarissa Ward said she heard &#8220;endless applause for President Trump.&#8221; Blitzer noted many people were wearing &#8220;Make America Great Again&#8221; hats.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
&#8220;Endless applause for President Trump.&#8221;
&#8220;I even saw people wearing Make America Great Again hats in that crowd over at Hostage Square.&#8221;
THE PRESIDENT OF PEACE! <a href="https://t.co/tDuXPfdSWm">pic.twitter.com/tDuXPfdSWm</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1977099635069260209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
The crowd was addressed by United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, as well as Jared Kushner, who&#8217;s been acting as an informal adviser on Middle East policy, and Trump&#8217;s daughter Ivanka Trump.
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&#8220;May God bless the souls of the fallen. May God bless the hostages and their families as they return home,&#8221; Witkoff told the crowd. &#8220;May God bless the state of Israel. May God bless the United States of America. And may God bless Donald J. Trump, the greatest president the world has ever seen.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
&#8220;May God bless the souls of the fallen. May God bless the hostages and their families&#8230; May God bless the state of Israel. May God bless the United States,&#8221; says <a href="https://twitter.com/SEPeaceMissions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SEPeaceMissions</a>.
&#8220;And may God bless Donald J. Trump — the greatest President the world has ever seen.&#8221; 💙 <a href="https://t.co/vp5sMCQJs8">pic.twitter.com/vp5sMCQJs8</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1977082795693687142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Kushner, who&#8217;s said to have <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/5549996-kushner-trump-peace-deal/">played a major role</a> in negotiating the peace agreement, told the crowd he was heartbroken over the October 7 attack and proud of Israel for remaining true to its values in response.
“I put Jared there because he’s a very smart person and he knows the region, knows the people, knows a lot of the players,” Trump <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/5549996-kushner-trump-peace-deal/">said</a> earlier this week, addressing his son-in-law&#8217;s impactful role.
As Kushner spoke, folks in the Hostage Square chanted, &#8220;Thank you, Trump.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“Thank you President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> for your commitment to bring this horrible conflict to an end.” <a href="https://t.co/gSGXzLEyc0">pic.twitter.com/gSGXzLEyc0</a>
— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaredkushner/status/1977117553534304752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Ivanka told the crowd that her father always stands with the people of Israel, again to applause and chants of &#8220;Thank you, Trump.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Cheers of &#8220;THANK YOU, TRUMP!&#8221; ring out in Tel Aviv as <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IvankaTrump</a> addresses the crowd eagerly awaiting the hostages to finally come home ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/1bRGiGhIOM">pic.twitter.com/1bRGiGhIOM</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1977073322392277357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Remaining Israeli hostages are expected to be released by Monday.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-breaks-down-trumps-extraordinary-israel-hamas-peace-deal-and-what-comes-next">Ben Shapiro Breaks Down Trump’s ‘Extraordinary’ Israel-Hamas Peace Deal And What Comes Next</a>

Israelis gather in Tel Aviv to celebrate the ceasefire agreement reached in Gaza

Chants Of ‘Thank You, Trump’ And Calls For Nobel Peace Prize Erupt At Israel’s Hostage Square

Benjamin Netanyahu

Hostages

Ivanka Trump

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday the &#8220;only way&#8221; to achieve a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia is for both sides to make concessions.
Rubio made the comments to &#8220;Meet The Press&#8221; anchor Kristen Welker during an <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1957071926645391805" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> on NBC News a couple days after President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending the years-long conflict.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>: &#8220;The only way to reach a deal is for each side to get something and each side to give something — and that&#8217;s been very difficult. If it was easy, this wouldn&#8217;t have been going on for 3.5 years&#8230; That&#8217;s why Zelensky is coming tomorrow.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Z5h2tv9wRz">pic.twitter.com/Z5h2tv9wRz</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1957071926645391805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;As you can imagine, everybody goes into a negotiation wanting 100% of what they want. That includes Ukraine, but obviously the Russians. And the only way to reach a deal on anything, whether it&#8217;s in business or in politics or in geopolitics, the only way to reach a deal is for each side to get something, and each side to give something,&#8221; Rubio said.
He continued, &#8220;And that&#8217;s been very difficult. If it was easy, this wouldn&#8217;t have been going on for three and a half years. Understand the longer these wars go on, the harder they are to end unfortunately. Because one side is always looking for leverage on the other, in this particular case, the Russia side as well.&#8221;
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders are expected to huddle with Trump at the White House on Monday. Another meeting with Putin could follow if there is a viable path toward peace.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">End of Summer Sale &#8211; Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Trump has <a href="https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/1956528613987107020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicated</a> that land swaps and safety measures are part of the discussion, although it remains to be seen whether Russia and Ukraine will ultimately agree to such terms.
During another interview on Sunday, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN that Putin will not stand for Ukraine to join NATO, but is open to allowing some kind of arrangement that would allow the United States to effectively provide one of its major security tenets.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Tapper: &#8220;You mentioned the Article 5 guarantee of NATO&#8230;Russia would allow that to happen?&#8221;
Witkoff: &#8220;That&#8217;s not what I said. What I said is we got to an agreement that the U.S. and other European nations could effectively offer Article 5-like language for security guarantees.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/gIiT59IdQJ">pic.twitter.com/gIiT59IdQJ</a>
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) <a href="https://twitter.com/BulwarkOnline/status/1957071026434584868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,&#8221; Witkoff <a href="https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/1957071026434584868" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> to &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; host Jake Tapper. &#8220;We sort of were able to bypass that and get an agreement that the United States could offer Article 5 protection, which was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that.&#8221;

Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Rubio Reveals The ‘Only Way’ To Achieve Ukraine-Russia Peace Deal

U.S.

President Donald Trump&#8217;s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for three hours on Wednesday, just two days before Trump&#8217;s deadline for Russia to agree to peace with Ukraine.
In a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114982898525988419">post</a> on Truth Social, Trump said the meeting was &#8220;highly productive,&#8221; adding that &#8220;great progress was made!&#8221;
&#8220;Afterwards, I updated some of our European Allies. Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come,&#8221; Trump wrote.
The Kremlin said the meeting resulted in &#8220;a very useful and constructive conversation,&#8221; ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/trump-envoy-witkoff-arrives-moscow-ahead-ukraine-ceasefire/story?id=124402204">reported</a>. The discussion focused on the war in Ukraine, along with potential &#8220;strategic cooperation between the United States and Russia,&#8221; according to Putin aide, Yuri Ushakov. Witkoff also met with Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia&#8217;s sovereign wealth fund.
Ushakov said that the Kremlin would wait until Witkoff reports to Trump to comment further on the meeting. As of Wednesday afternoon, the White House has not provided any details on Witkoff&#8217;s talks with Putin.
The meeting marked Witkoff&#8217;s fifth visit with Putin since Trump was sworn into office for his second term and vowed to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. So far, none of Witkoff&#8217;s meetings with the Russian authoritarian have resulted in any action toward peace between Moscow and Kyiv. The only deals Russia and Ukraine have agreed to are prisoner swaps and a Black Sea ceasefire that both nations accused each other of breaking.
Last week, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-shortens-initial-50-day-deadline-for-putin-to-reach-peace-deal-with-ukraine">increased pressure</a> on Putin to reach a peace deal, giving Russia until Friday — a much shorter timeframe than the 50-day deadline he initially gave Putin last month. Trump also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-dispatches-nuclear-submarines-after-highly-provacative-statements-from-russia">said</a> Friday that he repositioned two nuclear submarines in response to former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev saying that Trump&#8217;s ultimatums to Russia were &#8220;a step towards war.&#8221;
&#8220;Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances,&#8221; Trump said after announcing that he was moving the nuclear subs. He added that Medvedev should &#8220;watch his words&#8221; and that he was &#8220;entering very dangerous territory!&#8221;
Russia responded after Trump&#8217;s move, saying that the Kremlin &#8220;is very cautious about nuclear nonproliferation matters, and we believe everyone should be very careful about nuclear rhetoric.&#8221;
&#8220;There can be no winner in a nuclear war,&#8221; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added. &#8220;This is probably the key premise we rely on. We do not think there is talk of any escalation.&#8221;
As Russian airstrikes on Ukraine have increased in recent weeks, Trump has threatened to punish Russia with secondary tariffs if it does not end the fighting by his Friday deadline. The secondary tariffs would be imposed on countries that do business with Russia, such as buying Russian oil, a move that the Trump administration hopes would cut deeply into Moscow&#8217;s war chest. Russia&#8217;s biggest oil customers are India and China.
This article has been updated to include a post from President Trump.

Putin, Witkoff

Trump Envoy Steve Witkoff Holds 3-Hour Meeting With Putin As Peace Deadline Nears

Steve Witkoff, the United States Special Envoy to the Middle East, and Mike Huckabee, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, toured a humanitarian aid distribution site operated by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) today, as the organization marked the distribution of its 100 millionth meal.
For more than five hours, Witkoff and Huckabee observed the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distributing aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip and assessed site conditions to report back to President Donald Trump on the group’s ongoing work.
Witkoff said the purpose of the visit was to give Trump “a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/state-department-slams-senate-democrats-over-calls-to-defund-gaza-humanitarian-foundation?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=State+Department+Slams+Senate+Democrats+Over+Calls+To+Defund+Gaza+Humanitarian+Foundation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">STATE DEPARTMENT SLAMS SENATE DEMOCRATS OVER CALLS TO DEFUND GAZA HUMANITARIAN FOUNDATION</a>
Witkoff is currently on a multi-day trip to Israel, where he has met with Israeli officials to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The tour included briefings with the Israeli Defense Forces and speaking to “folks on the ground.” Witkoff — who was wearing a Make America Great Again hat— posted a photo of him shaking the hand of a Gazan woman.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
At <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@POTUS</a>’s direction, <a href="https://twitter.com/USAmbIsrael?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@USAmbIsrael</a> and I met yesterday with Israeli officials to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Today, we spent over five hours inside Gaza — level setting the facts on the ground, assessing conditions, and meeting with <a href="https://twitter.com/GHFUpdates?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@GHFUpdates</a> and other… <a href="https://t.co/aCtLuMuhq1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/aCtLuMuhq1</a>
— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) <a href="https://twitter.com/SEPeaceMissions/status/1951281182286500025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
“President Trump understands the stakes in Gaza and that feeding civilians, not Hamas, must be the priority,” GHF Spokesperson Chapin Fay said in a statement. “Today he sent his envoy to serve as his eyes and ears on the ground, reflecting his deep concern and commitment to doing what’s right.”
GHF is responsible for carrying out President Donald Trump’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-humanitarian-aid-delivered-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=15&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Sends+Aid+To+Gaza.+Israel+Will+Not+Distribute+It." target="_blank" rel="noopener">aid initiative</a>, which aims to deliver humanitarian aid directly to Gazan civilians while preventing Hamas from intercepting supplies — a challenge that has persisted since the war began.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-footage-shows-un-convoy-driving-into-mob-of-gazans-casualties-reported?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+New+Footage+Shows+UN+Convoy+Driving+Into+Mob+Of+Gazans%2C+Casualties+Reported" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EXCLUSIVE: NEW FOOTAGE SHOWS UN CONVOY DRIVING INTO MOB OF GAZANS, CASUALTIES REPORTED</a>
“GHF delivers more than one million meals a day, an incredible feat!” Huckabee posted.
GHF hit a milestone on Friday by distributing its 100 millionth meal since launching operations to feed Gazan civilians on May 26.
According to GHF, their aid boxes include enough food to feed a family of 5.5 three times a day for 3.5 days. Items vary depending on availability, cost, and other factors but are built off of similar ingredient lists used by other humanitarian groups.
“Gaza is one of the most complex operating environments in the world, and we are very proud of the incredible work our dedicated team has accomplished,” GHF Executive Chairman Rev. Johnnie Moore said in a statement. “However, the milestone is bittersweet given the continued shortage of aid coming into Gaza from other humanitarian groups who either lack the ability to safely deliver it or the willingness to work with those who can.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/united-kingdom-threatens-to-recognize-state-of-palestine-if-israel-doesnt-agree-to-ceasefire?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=United+Kingdom+Threatens+To+Recognize+‘State+of+Palestine’+If+Israel+Doesn’t+Agree+To+Ceasefire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNITED KINGDOM THREATENS TO RECOGNIZE ‘STATE OF PALESTINE’ IF ISRAEL DOESN’T AGREE TO CEASEFIRE</a>
<a href="https://app.un2720.org/tracking/intercepted" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to United Nations</a> data, between May and July of this year, 1,753 trucks meant to distribute aid were “intercepted either peacefully by hungry civilians or forcefully by armed actors,” leaving a limited number of trucks to successfully arrive at UN warehouses.
A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-footage-shows-un-convoy-driving-into-mob-of-gazans-casualties-reported?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+New+Footage+Shows+UN+Convoy+Driving+Into+Mob+Of+Gazans%2C+Casualties+Reported" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video obtained</a> by The Daily Wire shows a chaotic scene in southern Gaza last Thursday, as more than a dozen UN aid trucks enter a dense crowd along the Morag route. As the convoy attempts to pass through, a mob swarms the vehicles, climbing aboard and looting the supplies.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
EXCLUSIVE: A new video obtained by The Daily Wire shows a chaotic scene in southern Gaza last Thursday, where Gazans swarm and loot a U.N. aid convoy.
The IDF says it received reports of casualties in the same area and on the same day involving aid trucks. <a href="https://t.co/TP0hhl0bms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/TP0hhl0bms</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1950605086058598840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
Due to the constant looting of UN trucks, GHF has repeatedly offered to help the UN distribute aid, but the offer has gone unanswered. Instead, the UN has continued <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/well-break-your-legs-un-accused-of-mafia-type-response-to-u-s-led-gaza-relief-efforts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to vilify</a> the group.
The GHF has pushed back on accusations that its distribution sites are dangerous, noting that aid supplies are emptied daily by Gazan civilians, many of whom express thanks for the free assistance.
“The media says our sites are a death trap, but our workers are interacting with these people every day,” Johnnie Moore, the GHF executive chairman, said. “We see at our distribution sites something people haven’t seen in a long time in the Gaza Strip: we see smiles every single day on the faces of women, on the faces of children.”
According to GHF, security issues at its sites have been limited and are typically instigated by individuals the GHF believes are affiliated with Hamas. Incidents include <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-veterans-injured-in-grenade-attack-while-distributing-aid-in-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a grenade attack</a> by terrorists that injured two American contractors, and a stampede earlier this month triggered by armed men inciting chaos in the crowd that resulted in the deaths of 20 Gazan civilians.

Witkoff and Huckabee

Witkoff And Huckabee Tour Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Site As Group Distributes 100 Millionth Meal

Mike Huckabee

President Donald Trump blamed Hamas for the collapse of the ceasefire and hostage negotiations between the United States, Israel, and Hamas on Friday, claiming that the terror group “wants to die.”
“They pulled out in terms of negotiation,” Trump said. “It was too bad. Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I think they want to die and it’s very, very bad. It got to be to a point where you’re going to finish the job.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“I think they want to die.”
Trump reacts to Hamas not taking the ceasefire and hostage negotiation talks seriously. <a href="https://t.co/1mbOi7f0qK">pic.twitter.com/1mbOi7f0qK</a>
&mdash; Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1948748011326111749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump added that Hamas did not want to make a deal because they are down to the final 50 hostages and “they know what happens after you get the final hostages.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-ditches-unesco-says-its-a-hotbed-of-woke-and-anti-israel-propaganda?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Admin+Ditches+UNESCO%2C+Says+It%E2%80%99s+A+Hotbed+Of+Woke+And+Anti-Israel+Propaganda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP ADMIN DITCHES UNESCO, SAYS IT’S A HOTBED OF WOKE AND ANTI‑ISRAEL PROPAGANDA </a>
“So they pulled out and they’re going to have to fight and they’re going to have to clean it up,” the president said.
Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff <a href="https://x.com/SEPeaceMissions/status/1948427713687040473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> on Thursday that the talks for a deal fell through because Hamas was not acting “in good faith.”
“We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” Witkoff wrote. “It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/prominent-west-bank-sheikh-faces-violent-threats-after-proposing-peace-with-israel?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Prominent+West+Bank+Sheikh+Faces+Violent+Threats+After+Proposing+Peace+With+Israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PROMINENT WEST BANK SHEIKH FACES VIOLENT THREATS AFTER PROPOSING PEACE WITH ISRAEL </a>
Hamas said it was surprised by Witkoff’s announcement, and reaffirmed its “keenness to continue negotiations,” <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-862179" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Jerusalem Post.</a>
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday that the United States and Israel are considering “alternative options” to return the hostages.
“Together with our U.S. allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home, end Hamas’s terror rule, and secure lasting peace for Israel and our region,” he said.
Hamas has grown increasingly hostile toward American involvement in the war, leading to threats and attacks against American contractors distributing food aid through the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Earlier this month, two contractors were injured when terrorists, believed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to be affiliated with Hamas, threw <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-veterans-injured-in-grenade-attack-while-distributing-aid-in-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=American+Veterans+Injured+In+Grenade+Attack+While+Distributing+Aid+In+Gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two grenades</a> at them.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-epa-employee-charged-with-threatening-jews-attempting-to-provide-guns-and-money-to-isis?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=California+EPA+Employee+Charged+With+Threatening+Jews%2C+Attempting+To+Provide+Guns+and+Money+to+ISIS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CALIFORNIA EPA EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH THREATENING JEWS, ATTEMPTING TO PROVIDE GUNS AND MONEY TO ISIS</a>
Shortly after Witkoff’s announcement, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state this September during the United Nations General Assembly. He framed the move as a broader effort to fulfill France’s commitment to “a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”
Netanyahu fired back, claiming that Macron’s announcement “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.”
“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it,” Netanyahu added. “Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.”

Trump And Hamas

Trump Blames Hamas for Ceasefire Collapse, Says Terror Group ‘Wants To Die’

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that France will formally recognize a Palestinian state this September during the United Nations General Assembly.
In <a href="https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1948462359468802252" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a post on X</a>, Macron framed the move as part of a broader effort to fulfill France’s commitment to “a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”
The announcement comes just hours after talks for a ceasefire and hostage deal fell through due to Hamas not acting “in good faith,” <a href="https://x.com/SEPeaceMissions/status/1948427713687040473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff.
“We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” Witkoff wrote. “It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way.”
Macron outlined five key priorities: ending the war in Gaza, securing the release of hostages, delivering humanitarian aid to Gazans, demilitarizing Hamas, and rebuilding the Gaza Strip.
Macron wrote that it is “essential to build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability, and enable it, by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East.”
“There is no alternative,” he added.
Macron said his decision followed commitments made to him by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas is currently in his 20th year of what was originally a four-year term.
France is the most influential European country to recognize a Palestinian state, joining more than a dozen others — including Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Sweden. All told, over 140 countries have recognized a Palestinian state.
Israel has strongly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank and Gaza, and says doing so now would reward the terrorists who murdered over 1,000 Israelis on October 7, 2023.
“Macron’s recognition of a Palestinian state after the October 7th massacre isn’t diplomacy; it’s moral collapse,” Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett <a href="https://x.com/naftalibennett/status/1948467824974070119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1948467824974070119%7Ctwgr%5Edf79465ad3901908a5438dac8f5558f2b354374c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jpost.com%2Finternational%2Farticle-862175" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted to X</a> in response. “It rewards mass murder and tells Islamist terrorists: kill Jews, and the world will hand you a state. This shameful decision will be tossed into the dustbin of history.”
There has never been a Palestinian state. Prior to Israeli occupation, Judea and Samaria were occupied by Jordan, and Gaza by Egypt.
Israeli Minister of Finance <a href="https://x.com/bezalelsm/status/1948477377576600027" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Betzalel Smotrich said</a> France&#8217;s announcement provides a &#8220;compelling reason&#8221; to apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
&#8220;I thank President Macron for providing yet another compelling reason to finally apply Israeli sovereignty over the historic regions of Judea and Samaria, and to definitively abandon the failed concept of establishing a Palestinian terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;This will be our fitting Zionist response to the one-sided pressure and coercive measures led by President Macron and his allies.&#8221;
On Wednesday, Israel’s Knesset voted in favor of a declaratory resolution in support of applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley in a vote of 71-13.
“The Knesset affirms that the State of Israel has a natural, historical, and legal right to the entirety of the Land of Israel – the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people,” the resolution <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-862007">reads</a>. “The Knesset calls upon the cabinet of Israel to act promptly to extend Israeli sovereignty, including law, jurisdiction, and administration, over all areas of Jewish communities, in all its forms, in <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-861776" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley</a>.
More than 500,000 Israelis live in Judea and Samaria.

European Union Leaders on Day Two of Summit

Macron Announces Plans To Recognize ‘Palestine’ As Hamas Upends Ceasefire Talks

Emmanuel Macron

Judea and Samaria

Palestine

West Bank

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