Witkoff urges Israelis ‘to choose unity over division,’ says Independence Day ‘bittersweet’ while hostages in Gaza

US President Donald Trump’s special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, addresses an event for Israel’s Independence Day hosted by the Israeli Embassy in Washington, describing the occasion as “bittersweet while 59 hostages remain cruelly held by Hamas.”

“I remember being in the hospital in Israel when we got the female IDF soldiers out, and I sang the song ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ with them and their families. And I thought to myself, ‘this could be the most joyous moment of my life,'” he says. “On behalf of President Trump, I pledge that we will work tirelessly this year so that next year’s Independence Day is not just a wish for happiness, but a reality of peace, prosperity and for Israel, unity.”

“There are many efforts underway. Humanitarian aid initiatives for Gaza, which we applaud, the expansion of the Abraham peace accords,” Witkoff continues, referring to the normalization deals that Israel inked with Arab states during Trump’s first term in office, predicting there will be “a lot of announcements very, very shortly” on this front.

He also says that the US and Israel agree that Iran “shall never get a nuclear weapon.”

Additionally, Witkoff urges Israelis “to choose unity over division, vision over disagreement, and hope over despair. When you do, Israel’s future will shine brighter than ever.”