[Opinion] Trump’s Gaza deal promises hostage release – but the post-war steps are ambiguous
[Excerpts]
Two years after the trauma of the Oct 7 slaughter, Israelis woke up to the agreement on the return of all the hostages in 72 hours – the first step towards an end to this longest of Israel’s wars. Until this actually happens, we remain cautiously optimistic, although this time, the most important details appear to be anchored in political realism, in contrast to the usual slogans and myths, such as immediate Palestinian statehood.
The agreement is first and foremost the result of President Trump’s determination to impose an end to the conflict – beginning with the release of the hostages. Trump both embraced Netanyahu and twisted his arm to accept the problematic terms, and did the same to the leaders of Qatar and Turkey, as the allies and protectors of Hamas. The media image presenting Doha and Ankara as substantive “mediators” and “negotiators” is totally fictitious, as it is for Egypt, whose only contribution was to provide a convenient location.
The agreement also reflected the impact of recent IDF operations in Gaza City, finally creating the conditions on the ground that forced Hamas to agree to release the hostages – their only remaining source of leverage and shields against Israeli retribution. Expanding the pressure, Israel systematically knocked out or crippled the external forces that provided Hamas with what appeared, two years ago, to be invincible support from the Iranian regime, its proxy forces in Lebanon (Hezbollah) and Iraq, Assad’s dictatorship in Syria, and affiliated terror cells operating in the West Bank. The Israeli strike against Hamas leaders in Qatar, despite the fact that they survived, sent an additional message of strength and warning.
