WASHINGTON (AP) — The President donald trump will depart for Israel and Egypt on Sunday to celebrate. US-brokered ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas and to our allies in the Middle East, lasting peace It’s in unstable territory.
Vulnerable period for Israel and Hamas is still in the early stages of implementation first stage Contents of the Trump agreement aimed at bringing a permanent end to the war that started on October 7, 2023. Attacks on Israel by Hamas-led armed groups.
President Trump believes the window of opportunity to reshape the Middle East region and reset longstanding relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors is narrow.
The Republican president said it was a moment helped by his administration’s support for Israel’s destruction of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The White House says momentum is also growing. Arab and Islamic countries They have signaled a new focus on resolving the decades-old broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening ties with the United States.
“You will have great success and Gaza will be rebuilt,” President Trump said Friday. “You know, there are some very wealthy countries over there. It’s going to take a fraction of their wealth to make that happen. And I think they want to do that.”
The subtleties of agreement
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the last 48 hostages held by Hamas, including about 20 who are believed to be alive. release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners Owned by Israel. A surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israeli forces have partially withdrawn from Gaza’s main cities.
On Friday, Israeli forces completed their withdrawal from parts of the Gaza Strip and Hamas began a 72-hour countdown to an agreement to release Israeli hostages. This could likely be done while President Trump is on the ground. He said he expected the repatriation to be completed on Monday or Tuesday.
President Trump will first visit Israel and said he has been invited to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, an honor last bestowed upon President George W. Bush during his 2008 visit. President Trump then visited Egypt, where he said he planned to meet with the Egyptian president. Abdel Fattah El Sisi He will lead a summit with the leaders of more than 20 countries in Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East.
The ceasefire is a delicate situation, and it is unclear whether the two sides will reach an agreement. reached some kind of agreement On Israel’s demands for post-war governance of Gaza, territorial reconstruction, and the disarmament of Hamas. negotiations on those issues; A breakdown is possible, with Israel threatening to resume military operations if its demands are not met.
HR McMaster, who served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term, said Thursday at an event hosted by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, “I think the chances of (Hamas) disarming are pretty close to zero.” He said he thinks what will happen, probably in the next few months, is that the Israeli military “will have to destroy them.”
Israel continues to control millions of Palestinians without basic rights Villages expand rapidly Across the occupied West Bank. in spite of Growing international recognitionOpposition to Israel and the existence of a Palestinian state seem very remote. actions on the ground,
The war left Israel internationally isolated. suspicion of genocidedenies it. international arrest warrant Fines against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister are in effect, and the United Nations’ highest court is considering claims of genocide by South Africa.
Hamas is militarily decimated, and by releasing the hostages it has given up its only bargaining chip with Israel. But Islamic extremist organizations remain intact and may eventually be rebuilt. If a period of peace continues for a long time.
Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will continue to demilitarize Hamas even after the hostages are returned.
“Hamas only agreed to the deal when it felt that the sword was in its neck – and it is still in its neck,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday, as Israel began withdrawing its troops.
President Trump wants to expand the Abraham Accords
Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble And rebuilding is expected to take years. The region’s approximately 2 million residents continue to struggle in desperate conditions.
Under the deal, Israel agrees to reopen five border crossings, easing the flow of food and other goods to Gaza, where parts of the country are suffering from famine.
President Trump is also launching a U.S.-led civil-military coordination center in Israel to help facilitate it. Flow of humanitarian aid It will also provide logistics and security support to Gaza.
Approximately 200 U.S. troops will be sent to provide assistance and assistance. monitor the ceasefire agreement As part of a team that includes partner countries, non-governmental organizations and private companies.
The White House signaled early on that President Trump was looking to return attention to building on a first-term effort known as “antisocial forces.” Abraham Accordsestablished diplomatic and commercial relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.
A permanent deal in Gaza would help clear the way for Trump to begin talks with Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation, toward normalizing relations with Israel, according to a senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.
Such an agreement with Saudi Arabia, the most powerful and wealthy Arab state, has the potential to reshape the region and elevate Israel’s status in historic ways.
But brokering such a deal remains a difficult task, as Saudi Arabia has said it will not formally recognize Israel until the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved.
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Krauss reported from Ottawa, Ontario.
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