Trump jokes about Norway at Gaza summit in Cairo: 'Oh, Norway, Aye Aye Aye! What happened?'
At the Gaza peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, US President Donald Trump jokingly called out Norway after the Nobel Peace Prize bypassed him, providing a lighthearted moment amid high-stakes diplomacy.
US President Donald Trump took a lighthearted jab at Norway during his remarks at the Gaza peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday (October 13). The gathering marked the signing of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, a deal brokered with Trump’s involvement.
“We have Norway. Oh, Norway, aye aye aye! Norway, what happened? Norway, what happened?” Trump quipped, referencing the Norwegian representative at the conference.
Snubbed by Norwegian Nobel Committee
The playful remark came shortly after the five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded its prestigious Peace Prize to a Venezuelan opposition leader, effectively bypassing Trump.
“Where’s Norway? I don’t think he wants to stand. Oh, he’s back there,” Trump added, gesturing toward the Norwegian delegate seated in the audience.
Historic peace deal Amid lighthearted moments
While much of the summit focused on the historic ceasefire and the reconstruction of Gaza, Trump’s humor offered a rare moment of light heartedness amid high-stakes diplomacy. The US president praised the participating countries for their cooperation in achieving “peace in the Middle East.”
Trump hails “tremendous day” for Middle East
US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi co-chaired a landmark summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, where a ceasefire declaration was signed by the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey as guarantors of the deal.
“Together we have achieved what everybody said was impossible. At long last, we have peace in the Middle East,” Trump said. “This is a tremendous day for the world, it’s a tremendous day for the Middle East.”
El-Sisi echoed the sentiment, calling the Gaza deal a “historic day” that opens “a new era of peace and stability” in the region and lays the groundwork for a two-state solution. He added that Egypt would host a conference on Gaza’s reconstruction.
Hostage and prisoner exchange
As part of the ceasefire, Hamas released the last 20 surviving hostages held in Gaza, ending two years of captivity. In return, Israel freed 1,968 mostly Palestinian detainees.
Hamas described the release as “an achievement that marks a bright national milestone in our ongoing struggle for freedom and liberation.” Israel confirmed the safe return of all living hostages with posts on X stating: “Welcome home.”
Under the agreement, Hamas is also expected to return the bodies of 27 deceased hostages and a soldier killed in 2014. On Monday, the remains of four Israeli hostages were handed over to the Red Cross.
Trump speaks in Israel
Earlier in the day, Trump visited Israel and addressed lawmakers in the Knesset. Netanyahu called him “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”
Trump praised the hostages’ release as an “incredible triumph for Israel and the world,” crediting Arab and Muslim mediators for pressuring Hamas. He urged Palestinians to abandon “the path of terror” and promised the United States would “never forget” the October 7 attacks.
“For so many families across this land, it has been years since you’ve known a single day of true peace,” he said. “Not only for Israelis, but also for Palestinians and for many others, the long and painful nightmare is finally over.”