Speaking to an emotional crowd in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square Ivanka Trump told thousands of Israelis that her father “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.”
She praised “the strength of every family waiting, praying, and believing … I am in awe by their strengths and conviction in spite of such suffering,” she said, according to the Times of Israel.
The crowd gathered to celebrate the expected return of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, who are coming home as part of the peace agreement President Donald Trump was able to achieve.
Ivanka Trump called the return of the hostages through her father’s deal as “a triumph of faith, courage and of a shared humanity. … We pray to ensure that this coming week is one of healing for you all,” according to the Jerusalem Post.
Cheers of “THANK YOU, TRUMP!” ring out in Tel Aviv as @IvankaTrump addresses the crowd eagerly awaiting the hostages to finally come home ❤️ pic.twitter.com/1bRGiGhIOM
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 11, 2025
“One of healing as we begin and embark on the next chapter, which, God willing, will be a lasting and enduring peace. God bless you all for standing in solidarity together through this dark chapter,” she continued.
“We’re all praying for Monday and beyond,” she said, according to the Times of Israel.
Ivanka Trump was joined by her husband, Jared Kushner, and negotiator Steve Witkoff. Kushner, who was an architect of the Abraham Accords reached in Trump’s first term that brought Israel and Arab neighbors closer, and Witkoff each played major roles in negotiating the deal to end the Gaza war.
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump addressed a crowd gathered in Tel Aviv following the announcement of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. https://t.co/UJ7DpkRXzf pic.twitter.com/OcpM1hSpjs
— ABC News (@ABC) October 11, 2025
“Oct. 7 for me was a shattering day,” Kushner told a crowd variously estimated at 100,000 to 500,000 people, according to the Times of Israel. “Seeing these horrific, barbaric acts shocked me to my core. … Since then, my heart has not been complete.”
He said he felt an obligation “to see the hostages come home, to see their families get the closure they deserve, and to end this nightmare. Also, to see the suffering end for the people in Gaza who, for most of them, were experiencing this through no fault of their own, other than being born into a situation that was horrific.”
“I couldn’t be more proud to see the way that the State of Israel and its people have carried themselves through this traumatic, unthinkable, horrific experience. Instead of replicating the barbarism of the enemy, you chose to be exceptional,” he said, adding, “I just want to thank the amazing soldiers of the IDF. Without their heroism and brilliance and bravery, this deal would not have been possible.”
Witkoff said he “dreamed of this night for a long time. This is the most powerful sight. Hearts beating as one, gathered here in Tel Aviv for peace, for unity and for hope in this sacred place we call Hostages Square.”
“I only wish the president was here,” he said of Trump, who he called “a man who is a humanitarian through and through, with an indomitable spirit, who once again proved that bold leadership and moral clarity can reshape history and change the world.”
🚨 JUST IN: Steve Witkoff, speaking to a large crowd at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, thanked Benjamin Netanyahu, and was met with loud BOOS from the crowd
The crowd then began chanting “THANK YOU TRUMP! THANK YOU TRUMP!”
WOW! pic.twitter.com/6gGaqxWTfW
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 11, 2025
“In the worst of times, he refused to accept the idea that peace in the Middle East was out of reach. He brought together nations once divided by generations of conflict and showed us that shared peace is stronger than shared pain. … He showed the world that strength and peace go hand in hand. They are not opposites; they are partners,” Witkoff continued.
“Tonight we celebrate something extraordinary, a moment that many thought was impossible. Yet here we stand, living proof that when courage meets conviction, miracles can happen. A peace born not out of politics, but out of courage, the courage of those who refuse to give up hope.”
On a somber note, he mentioned families “who have lost children who are not coming home, members of a very terrible club that I’m a member of myself. We remember the heroes and the innocent souls who are no longer with us, those who were taken from us on that terrible, tragic day, Oct. 7, and those who have given their lives since then in defense of freedom and their nation, in defense of this country, Israel, in defense of peace. Their memory is a blessing. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
“This peace is their legacy,” he promised. “It is a promise that their lives will not be remembered only in sorrow, but in the hope of a future without fear.”
“May God bless the hostages and their families as they return home,” Witkoff concluded. “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.’
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