Today, skies are calm and guns silent: Trump

US prez greeted with thunderous applause in Israel parliament after release of 20 hostages

US President Trump on Monday was greeted with a thunderous applause and a standing ovation by Israeli lawmakers as he arrived at a special session of the Knesset following the release of 20 hostages by Hamas, earlier in the day.

"This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East. 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," Trump said.

Appreciating Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said, "I want to express my gratitude to a man of exceptional courage and patriotism whose partnership did so much to make this momentous day possible. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."

The Israeli PM heaped praise on the US President. “Two weeks ago, you succeeded in doing something miraculous, you succeeded in doing something that no one believed was possible: you brought most of the Arab world -- you brought most of the world -- behind your proposal to free the hostages and end the war.”