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JERUSALEM – April 18, 2025 — Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee made an impassioned public prayer for the safe return of hostages held in Gaza, during a moving speech at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Friday.
The ambassador’s remarks echoed a prayer expressed by U.S. President Donald Trump and underlined the administration’s continued commitment to Israel and its people.
“It is the prayer of U.S. President Donald Trump that all the hostages held in Gaza captivity should be returned home now,” Huckabee told a gathered crowd of worshippers, journalists, and officials at one of Judaism’s holiest sites.
“And we will bring them home,” he added, pledging full U.S. support toward that goal. The speech, delivered during the final weekend of the Passover holiday, combined political reassurance with deep religious sentiment.
Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas and a longtime ally of Trump, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as ambassador to Israel just last week.
Standing near the ancient stones of the Western Wall, Huckabee placed a personal note in the cracks of the Wall before offering blessings for the peace and prosperity of the State of Israel. “I come to also join the president in prayer for the peace of Yerushalaim,” he said, invoking the Hebrew name for Jerusalem.
Huckabee used the occasion to highlight what he described as President Trump’s “extraordinary love for the Jewish people and the people of Israel,” pointing to landmark decisions taken during Trump’s previous term in office.
These included the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to the city, and the 2019 recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
The ambassador’s visit comes amid renewed international calls for a resolution to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as growing concern for the welfare of hostages believed to be held by militant groups in Gaza.
Though the number and identity of those captives have not been officially disclosed, the issue remains a source of tension and grief in both Israel and abroad.
Huckabee’s public prayer and symbolic gestures at the Wall were received warmly by local religious leaders and Israeli officials, many of whom have long regarded him as a friend of Israel. His appearance was also seen as a reaffirmation of the Trump administration’s staunch pro-Israel stance.
In his closing remarks, Huckabee offered “best wishes” to the people of Israel, not only for the Passover holiday, but “for eternity,” emphasizing the enduring bond between the two nations.
President Trump, who has returned to the White House following his re-election in 2024, was photographed at a cabinet meeting in Washington, D.C., earlier this week. According to administration officials, Middle East peace efforts remain a top foreign policy priority.
Huckabee is expected to meet with senior Israeli leaders in the coming days and to visit sites of strategic and cultural significance throughout the country.