'Twisted' to praise Trump for ending Gaza bloodshed, says heckler Israeli MP thrown out during President's speech
Ofer Cassif was hurled out of the Israeli parliament on Monday after unfurling a banner reading 'recognise Palestine'
It is "twisted" to hail Donald Trump as a saviour for brokering a peace deal in Gaza as he was "complicit" in the bloodshed, an Israeli MP thrown out of Parliament during the US President's speech has told LBC.
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The address came as all 20 living hostages were reunited with their families, with moving footage showing the emotional scenes as they embraced loved ones after 737 days in captivity.
Ofer Cassif was one of two Members of Parliament hurled out of the Knesset on Monday after unfurling a banner reading ‘‘recognise Palestine’, stopping Mr Trump in his tracks as he delivered a speech to the chamber.
Defending his intervention, Mr Cassif told LBC the US President still has blood on his hands and puts “a great deal of blame” on the death of nearly 700,000 Palestinians killed since Hamas’ attacks on October 7.
He said on Tonight with Andrew Marr: “We put some of the blame, a great deal of the blame, for the genocide and the sacrifice of the Israeli hostages on Trump himself and his administration.
“Let's not forget that he supported the government of Israel last March, when the government of Israel itself was the one that violated the previous agreement with Hamas.
Read more: Donald Trump hails ‘golden age’ for Israel as freed Gaza hostages reunite with families
“He allowed the continuation of the genocide in Gaza, as well as the sacrifice of the Israeli soldiers and hostages.
“So there's something really twisted in referring now to Trump as a saviour, when he was really complicit… in those atrocities, including the sacrifice of the hostages. And we have to say something about it.”
Referring to his “recognise Palestine” banner, Mr Cassif said that the “only formula to solve and stop the bloodshed” is by “establishing a full, sovereign and independent Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel”.
Earlier, Mr Trump told the Knesset that this moment in history would be remembered as “the golden age of Israel and the Middle East" as he readied to sign his 20-point peace plan for Gaza just hours later.
He said: “After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 courageous hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families. Twenty-eight more precious loved ones are coming home at last to rest in this sacred soil for all of time.”
He later signed his 20-point peace plan for Gaza alongside world leaders, which he claims will "avert a Third World War".
Attendees included Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz amid others.
Sir Keir Starmer hailed a “historic day” as key countries agreed to sign the plan.
He said: “What happens tomorrow really matters, and that’s why, what I’ve been discussing with leaders all day is, what part can we play?
“And we, the United Kingdom in particular I think, can play a part in monitoring the ceasefire, but also decommissioning the capability of Hamas and their weaponry drawing on our experience in Northern Ireland.
“So the question today has already moved to, how do we implement how do we make sure this moves forward? It’s really important we keep that focus. We mustn’t have any missteps now.”
Sir Tony Blair was among delegates who lined up to shake Mr Trump’s hand at the Gaza summit in Egypt.
The former prime minister is poised to join a “board of peace” to supervise governance of Gaza under the US president’s plans.
Early on Monday, seven captives were handed to the Red Cross in Gaza City. The remaining 13 were handed over in southern Gaza by armed plain-clothes Hamas members without ceremony.
They were driven through the pockmarked streets of Gaza, partially destroyed by relentless Israeli bombing over the past two years.