Trump Declares “Peace In The Middle East,” But Many Challenges Lie Ahead
After just over two years of war, Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a U.S.-brokered peace deal that is set to bring an end to the two-year war in Gaza. Palestinians and Israelis celebrated the impending ceasefire throughout the streets, but there are a number challenges and questions in the days and weeks ahead.
President Trump announced the agreement on Truth Social Wednesday evening, calling it “the first step toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “a great day for Israel,” while Hamas issued a statement affirming “that the sacrifices of our people will not be in vain” — both sides thanking Trump and Arab mediators for brokering the deal.
It remained unclear Thursday night — as Netanyahu sought cabinet approval for the deal, while a far-right minister vowed to oppose it — if the war has truly ended. Once Israel’s cabinet approves the deal, a full ceasefire will reportedly take effect within 24 hours.
All living hostages remaining in Gaza are set to be released this coming Monday or Tuesday, Trump previously said. About 50 hostages are still held in Gaza — about 20 of whom are believed to be alive. “It’s really peace in the Middle East,” Trump said at his own Cabinet meeting Thursday. Trump said he hopes to take part in an official signing ceremony in Egypt, traveling there in the coming days.
INSIDE THE DEAL
The deal marks the biggest diplomatic breakthrough since January’s limited prisoner swap and could set the stage for broader regional changes. Trump’s 20-point framework aims to end Israel’s war in Gaza and achieve peace in the region, but only a couple of the 20 points have been agreed to and are set for implementation.
Ceasefire & Hostage Release: Once formally approved (which is expected within hours) by the Israeli cabinet, the war ends immediately and all Israeli hostages are released within 72 hours. Israel will begin a phased withdrawal — it will still be in control of about 53% of Gaza. Israel will also release about 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences for murder, as well as 1,700 other Gazans detained since Oct. 7, 2023.
Hamas Disarmament: Weekend reports indicated that Hamas has resisted demands to fully disarm — as outlined in Trump’s full plan — even with offers of amnesty and safe passage to a third country. That will be among the the issues discussed after the prisoner-for-hostage exchange.
Trump on Thursday characterized the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed during Israel’s military campaign as “big retribution” for Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 Israelis.
Aid, Security & Redevelopment: The U.N. said it is ready to move aid into Gaza fast, with 170,000 additional metric tons of food, medicine, and other supplies in place and teams on standby.
HOW THE DEAL HAPPENED
Secretary of State Marco Rubio credited President Trump’s personal diplomacy for brokering the deal, saying Thursday it “will go down as a historic moment in the history of our country.”
Rubio said Trump’s relationships with Arab and Muslim-majority nations — forged during his May trip to the Middle East, Trump’s first major international trip of his second term, and at the UN General Assembly in September — created the foundation for the agreement.
“There [is] no other leader in the world that could have put this together,” Rubio said, adding that the deal will soon see “20 living human beings emerge from the darkness into the light for the first time in two years.”
“You used the credibility and the power and the prestige of this office and the relationships you created,” he added.
Only Trump: On Wednesday, cameras caught Rubio slipping Trump a note during a speech. The AP’s Evan Vucci snapped a photo of the note that read, “Very close. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” Moments later, Trump announced a deal was close.
Behind the scenes, Trump’s push reportedly included tense exchanges with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Axios’s Barak Ravid reported that after Hamas signaled conditional acceptance of the U.S. peace plan last Friday, Netanyahu downplayed it — prompting Trump to fire back in a phone call, “I don’t know why you’re always so f***ing negative. This is a win. Take it.”
It came as Trump pushed Arab nations like Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey to urge Hamas leaders to finally end the war, as each subsequent ceasefire deal has gotten worse and worse for the terror group. The terror group was also facing complete annihilation during Israel’s recent campaign to take over Gaza City.
The Economist called it “a triumph for Mr Trump’s transactional, bullying style of diplomacy.”
WHAT’S NEXT
This is Phase One. The next stages will tackle the toughest questions: Who governs Gaza? How will it be rebuilt? And what role — if any — will Hamas have in the territory’s future?
What about the Nobel Peace Prize? The award — which Trump has publicly coveted for years — will be announced tomorrow at 5am ET. He was nominated by multiple politicians around the world and got an AI boost from Netanyahu on Thursday (see photo below). That being said, the Nobel committee reportedly landed on its 2025 pick Monday, before the Gaza deal.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee — which awards the Peace Prize — consists of five members chosen by the Norwegian parliament.
On the online betting market Polymarket, Trump is listed as the fifth most likely contender, with 4% odds. The community-led Sudan Emergency Response Rooms lead with 33%, followed by Doctors Without Borders at 10%, and Yulia Navalnaya in third with about 9%.
Thousands of you from the Mo News audience also weighed in on whether Trump will — or should — get it.
