Knesset members expelled after disrupting Trump speech at Israeli parliament

Jerusalem, Oct 13 (IANS) Two Knesset members on Monday were swiftly expelled by ushers as they tried to disrupt US President Donald Trump's address in the Israeli Parliament.

A few minutes after Trump began addressing the Knesset, the two members rose with signs held in their hands.

"That was very efficient of you", Trump praised the ushers who removed Knesset members Ayman Odeh and Ofer Cassif from the plenum hall after they held up signs during the president's speech.

The special session of the Knesset was being held in honour of the President of the USA on a day the Hamas released the remaining hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023 attacks.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced that 13 returning hostages were returned to Israel.

"People will remember this as the moment when everything started to change for the better. It will be the golden age of Israel and the Middle East," Trump said while also thanking the Arab countries that helped sign the peace deal.

Trump received a standing ovation at the Knesset address following the ceasefire deal reached between Israel and Hamas.

Earlier in the day, Hamas announced that it would release 20 "living Israeli captives" in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal.

"The agreement reached is the fruit of the steadfastness of our people and the resilience of its resistance fighters, and we announce our commitment to the agreement reached and the related timelines as long as the occupation adheres to it," Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement.

"The occupation could have returned most of its captives alive many months ago, but it continued to stall," it added.

--IANS

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