Donald Trump opens the government meeting at the White House beaming. During the night he brought home the agreement between Israel and Hamas on the first phase of the plan for peace in Gaza. “The hostages should be released on Monday or Tuesday,” he announced to his men on the day of the historic signing, while packing his bags to fly to the Middle East. In Israel and Egypt, it is the hypothesis, where he will claim his achievement in the official ceremony on the agreement.
A goal that he himself announced to the world, with a post on Truth, prepared in advance to be the first to make it known. With the complicity of his Foreign Minister, Marco Rubio, who shortly before had passed him a “pizzino” announcing that the agreement was now “very close”.
The agreement, signed on Friday in Sharm el Sheik after several days of indirect negotiations, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and Turkey with US supervision, is The Donald’s most important diplomatic coup, more perhaps than the Abraham Accords of his first term which he now hopes to expand, presenting himself to the world as a peacemaker with the dream of winning the Nobel and going down in history. “We have put an end to the war, I think it will lead to a lasting peace,” the tycoon explained to his ministers, adding that he will try to go to Egypt for the official signing ceremony.
A trip expected for Sunday and which should also include Israel, where he could be the first American president to speak to the Knesset. The invitation came from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their phone call after the diplomatic breakthrough. A “very emotional and warm” conversation, Bibi reported, adding once again to the growing chorus of voices (including NYT) to award Trump the long-desired Nobel Peace Prize.
Perhaps it will only be for next year, if the agreement holds and will be implemented in the second and most difficult phase in all its 20 points: from the disarmament of Hamas to the reconstruction and governance of Gaza, from the complete withdrawal of the IDF from the Strip to the establishment of an international peacekeeping force (probably under UN auspices).
All post-war aspects examined by the foreign ministers of Western (Tajani for Italy) and Arab countries at a summit in Paris, from where Emmanuel Macron warned against the acceleration of the colonization of the West Bank, “an existential threat to the State of Palestine” and “contrary not only to international law but also to the American plan”. But for now Trump remains vague on the two-state solution: “I don’t have a precise opinion, I’ll stick to what they agree on.”
Meanwhile, Egypt is preparing to host a conference on the future of the Palestinian cause, while the rich Arab countries will participate in the reconstruction of Gaza, as the tycoon announced, once again thanking the leaders of Qatar, Egypt and Turkey and underlining in particular Erdogan’s “grandiose” role in mediation with Hamas.
Trump also said he was ready to collaborate with Iran (a country that supports the Palestinian militiamen) after Tehran recognized that it was in favor of the peace agreement, also supported by Vladimir Putin. Now all attention is focused on the exchange of prisoners: on the one hand the 48 Israeli hostages, of which 20 are alive, and on the other 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences. However, Israel vetoed Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat.
The bodies of 360 Hamas militiamen will also be returned, but not those of the brothers Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar. The Tel Aviv government explained that the ceasefire will come into force within 24 hours of the government meeting – Thursday – for the ratification of the agreement, with the announced vote against by the finance ministers Bezalel Smotrich and internal security ministers Itamar Ben Gvir, both far-right ultranationalists.
The IDF will retreat to the yellow line and, within the next 72 hours, all the hostages will be released and brought back to Israel, therefore not before Monday. The Israeli army will still maintain control of around 53% of Gaza territory, the government spokeswoman said. Optimism is widespread throughout the international community, like the joy that has exploded among the residents of the Strip and the Israelis, starting with the families of the hostages. And Trump rejoices at the idea of succeeding where no American president has previously succeeded.