During his address to a joint session of Congress, President Donald Trump highlighted his efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, with some freed captives and their families present in the audience. “In the Middle East, we are bringing back our hostages from Gaza,” he said.
Reflecting on his first term, Trump took pride in the peace initiatives that had been accomplished, specifically pointing to the Abraham Accords. “In my first term, we achieved one of the most groundbreaking peace agreements in generations, the Abraham Accords, and now we’re going to build on that foundation to create a more peaceful and prosperous future for the entire region,” he asserted.
The President also touched on the complex and tumultuous situation in the region, remarking, “A lot of things are happening in the Middle East… [a] rough neighborhood.”
Despite the buildup of anticipation in Israel, this brief mention of the hostages and the Middle East was the sole reference to foreign policy during a speech that lasted more than 90 minutes. It was notably light on international matters.
Although Trump acknowledged several individuals in the audience with personal mentions, the former hostages, including US-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel, did not receive similar recognition.
{Matzav.com}