A rare moment of hope in the Middle East

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For two years, the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have been an embodiment of the intense trauma that the militants’ horrific attack on October 7, 2023, inflicted on Israeli society. About 250 people were arrested and returned to the Strip, while 1,200 people were killed. The hostages endured brutal conditions, remaining deep within Hamas’ network of tunnels while Israel bombed the area. Some of them were tortured and starved, and others were executed, as the prisoners became the main source of influence for the militants in their negotiations with Israel.

Now the remaining 20 hostages are set to be released, along with the bodies of 28 others who were either killed in the October 7 attack or died in captivity, as part of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza. Assuming that everything goes as planned, this must be a cathartic moment for Israel, a moment of joy mixed with sadness for those who lost their lives. It would also represent the most significant foreign policy achievement of Trump’s tumultuous second term.

Equally important, cease-fire The agreement agreed between Israel and Hamas will provide relief to more than two million desperate Gazans living under daily bombardment, mass displacement and widespread famine. The Strip has been devastated, with Israel bombing much of it into a barren wasteland and killing more than 67,000 Gazans, according to Palestinian health officials.

We must commend Trump for his efforts to achieve this End the disaster. He belatedly succeeded in doing what he seemed unwilling to do: pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as Hamas, to stop the war as part of his plan. 20 point plan Filed last month. Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey also deserve credit for convincing Hamas to agree.

However, the most difficult obstacles are Still in the future If Trump wants to secure a permanent and sustainable settlement for Gaza, his plan promises it.

Israel violated the recent truce that guaranteed the release of some hostages, as Netanyahu and his far-right allies refused to commit to any moves to end the war or withdraw Israeli forces from the Strip. It is critical that Trump now stays the course and ensures full implementation of the plan, including a phased Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of a new, credible governance structure for Gaza that includes the Palestinians to ensure its legitimacy.

The United States must also establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians and push for “a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence,” the plan states. This should mean that Israel and the Palestinians work towards a two-state solution, which is the only viable option to end the protracted crisis by providing security, peace and justice for both sides.

For all of Trump’s erratic behavior and his “America First” slogan, he has the opportunity to restore some of America’s damaged credibility with its allies and the Global South if he is the leader who brings the hostages home, puts an end to the carnage in Gaza and lays the foundations for a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

His promise in his first term to implement the “Deal of the Century” failed. He has marginalized Palestinians and upended years of American policy with a series of pro-Israel moves. The 2020 Abraham Accords, under which the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan agreed to normalize relations with Israel, were welcomed, but they were largely transactional and did little, if anything, to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The new momentum created by Trump’s latest push to end the war in Gaza underscores the unparalleled role the United States can play in peace efforts. The president must now use his influence responsibly and back up his pledges to end the endless cycle of violence that has plagued the Middle East for too long. The release of the hostages is a very important moment. It is just the first step towards peace.