President Donald Trump kicked off his second term with a major diplomatic breakthrough, securing a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that could finally bring an end to the brutal conflict in Gaza.
The ceasefire deal, stalled for months under Biden, was finalized just days before Trump’s inauguration—thanks to his administration’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Sources confirm that Trump’s involvement was the decisive factor in getting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other key players to the table.
Trump’s “Peace Through Strength” Doctrine in Action
After just a week in office, Trump also extended a truce between Israel and Hezbollah, proving his “peace through strength” strategy is already paying off.
Veteran U.S. diplomat Dennis Ross explained why Trump’s influence forced all sides to act:
“Prime Minister Netanyahu did not want to say no to Trump, the Qataris and Egyptians wanted to show they could deliver for him, and they very likely persuaded Hamas that it was in its interests to have a ceasefire now because Trump would not want the war to resume once he was in office.”
Now, Trump must decide how to maintain this fragile calm while tackling far bigger challenges—from Hamas’ long-term future in Gaza to the possibility of a historic Saudi-Israel peace deal.
Israel’s Internal Struggles & The Path Forward
While Netanyahu agreed to the ceasefire, his far-right coalition partners are furious. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has already resigned in protest, and Netanyahu has vowed to keep fighting until Hamas is fully eliminated.
The U.S.-drafted deal outlines a step-by-step process:
- Phase 1: Six-week ceasefire, hostage swaps, and limited Israeli withdrawal
- Phase 2: Further exchanges of prisoners and hostages
- Phase 3: Full Israeli military exit and reconstruction of Gaza
But what the deal does not address is who will govern Gaza after the war. This issue has blocked peace efforts for decades, and now, a new wildcard has entered the equation—Saudi Arabia.
Trump’s Grand Bargain: A Saudi-Israel Peace Deal?
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has signaled he’s open to normalizing ties with Israel—but only if there’s a clear path for Palestinian self-governance. This could be Trump’s biggest diplomatic prize yet, expanding on his historic 2020 Abraham Accords that saw the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco recognize Israel.
With Hamas heavily weakened but still operating, the next step could involve an interim administration in Gaza, possibly backed by Egypt, the UAE, and Morocco.
Ross noted:
“An interim or transitional administration of 18 to 24 months with Arab and international involvement has been discussed… responsible for restoring commercial activity, daily management, and law and order.”
But bringing Gaza under Palestinian Authority (PA) rule is complicated—PA leader Mahmoud Abbas is 89 years old, deeply unpopular, and plagued by corruption scandals. Any new leadership would need serious reform before Palestinians—or Israel—would trust them.
Trump’s Next Move: Gaza’s Reconstruction & The Final Peace Puzzle
Despite suffering massive losses—including over 47,500 casualties reported by Gaza’s health ministry—Hamas still maintains an armed presence in Gaza. Removing them completely is easier said than done.
Trump has floated a radical idea—clearing out Gaza and rebuilding it as a modern hub of prosperity. His statement:
“We’re going to take over that place, we’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs. And it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of.”
This bold vision could change the region forever—or spark massive backlash. Either way, Trump has already reshaped the Israel-Palestine dynamic in just his first weeks back in office.
One thing is clear—he’s not done yet.
