President Donald Trump made a joke about his daughter’s marriage during his address to Israel’s parliament as the US-brokered ceasefire with Hamas came into effect.
Trump, 79, revealed during his peace speech Monday morning that his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner had accompanied him to Israel.
‘Let me also give a very special thanks to someone who truly loves Israel, in fact loves it so much that my daughter converted,’ the president told the Knesset.
Cameras panned to Kushner who was seen mouthing ‘thank you’ to his father-in-law.
‘I didn’t know this was going to happen,’ Trump continued. ‘And Ivanka is here.’
He was met with a standing ovation as he offered the summit of world leaders a little inside look at the couple’s personal life.
‘Bibi, you do know this was not in the cards for me. She is so happy and he is so happy – at least I think they’re happy. If they’re not we have a big story,’ he joked.
Trump then clarified: ‘No, they have a great marriage and they get along great. They’re best friends and have a very special relationship.’
President Donald Trump made a joke about his daughter’s marriage during his address to Israel ‘s parliament as the US-brokered ceasefire with Hamas came into effect
‘Let me also give a very special thanks to someone who truly loves Israel, in fact loves it so much that my daughter converted,’ Trump said as cameras panned to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, who were sitting in the crowd
The US and Egyptian presidents chaired a gathering of world leaders dubbed the Summit for Peace on Monday to support the breakthrough ceasefire deal in the more than two-year Israel-Hamas war.
Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, while Israel began releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the territory, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and had left scores of captives in militant hands.
Cheering crowds greeted buses of prisoners in the West Bank, while families and friends of the hostages gathered in a square in Tel Aviv, Israel, cried out with joy and relief as news arrived that the captives were free.
The hostages, all men, have arrived back in Israel, where they will reunite with family and undergo medical checks.
The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear.
Buses carrying dozens of freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in Beitunia, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, and in the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Prisoners Office said, as Israel began releasing more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees as part of the ceasefire deal.
While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners raised hopes for ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.
The ceasefire is also expected to be accompanied by a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged that he was ‘committed to this peace’ in a speech to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
