Trump Speech Gets ‘Rapturous Applause’ in the Streets of Israel, CNN’s Clarissa Ward Reports

President Donald Trump’s speech to the Knesset received “rapturous applause” from Israelis gathered at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv where it was broadcast live.

Inside the parliamentary chamber Trump was met with chants of his name and multiple standing ovations from lawmakers as he cast the deal as “the moment that everything began to change, and change very much for the better.” He declared that “the long and painful nightmare is finally over.”

The ceasefire he helped broker, which took effect Friday, saw Hamas release the final living 20 hostages taken during the October 7 attacks, while Israel agreed to free 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 detainees held during its two-year military campaign in Gaza.

Reporting on the ground Tel Aviv from the public plaza, which has become an encampment over the past two years to keep focus tightly on the plight of the hostages, CNN chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward shared that those watching cheered and applauded throughout.

“There was a rapturous applause for President Trump. His entire more than one hour long speech was broadcast on that jumbotron behind me and when he finished speaking, I don’t know if you were able to hear it at all, they started playing ‘Simply the Best’ by Tina Turner.”

Continuing, however, she said, some remarks drew jeers and boos from the crowd: “I will say, not all of his remarks went down so well. His constant praise of Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu definitely elicited a few boos from the crowds as did his call for the prime minister to be pardoned.”

She added: “But for the most part, this crowd in this square today are focused on really their gratitude for the U.S. President, who made it very clear in that speech where the U.S.’s alliance is, where the U.S.’s heart is, what the U.S.’s focus is.”

Watch above via CNN.