Trump's Middle East Peace Mission: Leveraging Israel-Hamas Ceasefire for Regional Stability

Trump will first visit Israel, where he will address Israel's parliament, the Knesset.

Washington:

President Donald Trump is embarking on a journey to Israel and Egypt on Sunday to celebrate the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, while encouraging Middle East allies to capitalize on this opportunity for establishing lasting peace in this volatile region.

The situation remains delicate with Israel and Hamas only beginning to implement the initial phase of the Trump-negotiated agreement, which aims to permanently end the conflict triggered by the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants.

Trump believes there exists a narrow window to transform the Middle East landscape and rebuild damaged relationships between Israel and neighboring Arab nations.

This moment, according to the Republican president, has been facilitated by his administration's backing of Israel's operations against Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

According to the White House, momentum is growing as Arab and Muslim states demonstrate renewed interest in resolving the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, strengthening their relationships with the United States.

READ: Arab States Quietly Teamed Up With Israel While Condemning Gaza War: Report

"I think you are going to have tremendous success and Gaza is going to be rebuilt," Trump stated Friday. "And you have some very wealthy countries, as you know, over there. It would take a small fraction of their wealth to do that. And I think they want to do it."

The ceasefire agreement's first phase requires the release of the remaining 48 hostages held by Hamas, approximately 20 of whom are believed to be alive; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel; a significant increase in humanitarian assistance to Gaza; and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza's major cities.

Israeli troops completed their withdrawal from parts of Gaza on Friday, initiating a 72-hour countdown under the agreement for Hamas to release the Israeli hostages, potentially while Trump is visiting the region. He expressed expectations for their return to be completed by Monday or Tuesday.

Trump indicated he will visit Israel first, where he has been invited to address Israel's parliament, the Knesset—an honor last extended to President George W. Bush during his 2008 visit. Following this, Trump will travel to Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will lead a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh with leaders from over 20 countries to discuss peace prospects for Gaza and the broader Middle East.

The truce remains fragile, and it's uncertain whether the parties have reached any agreement regarding Gaza's post-war governance, reconstruction efforts, or Israel's demand for Hamas to disarm. Negotiations on these issues could collapse, and Israel has suggested it may resume military operations if its requirements aren't met.

"I think the chances of (Hamas) disarming themselves, you know, are pretty close to zero," stated H.R. McMaster, a national security adviser during Trump's first term, at an event hosted by the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies on Thursday. He suggested that in the coming months, the Israeli military "is going to have to destroy them."

Israel continues to govern millions of Palestinians without basic rights while settlements expand rapidly throughout the occupied West Bank. Despite increasing international recognition, Palestinian statehood appears extremely distant due to Israel's opposition and actions on the ground.

The war has left Israel internationally isolated and facing genocide allegations, which it denies. International arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister are currently in effect, and the United Nations' highest court is examining genocide allegations brought by South Africa.

Hamas has been militarily devastated and has surrendered its only leverage with Israel by releasing the hostages. However, the Islamic militant group remains intact and could potentially rebuild during an extended period of calm.

Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israel would continue with Hamas demilitarization after the hostages are returned.

"Hamas agreed to the deal only when it felt that the sword was on its neck - and it is still on its neck," Netanyahu said Friday as Israel began withdrawing its troops.

Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, with reconstruction expected to take years. The territory's approximately 2 million residents continue to struggle under desperate conditions.

Under the agreement, Israel committed to reopening five border crossings, which will facilitate increased flow of food and other essential supplies into Gaza, where parts are experiencing famine.

Trump is also establishing a US-led civil-military coordination center in Israel to help facilitate humanitarian aid delivery as well as logistical and security assistance into Gaza.

Approximately 200 US troops will be deployed to support and monitor the ceasefire agreement as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations, and private-sector entities.

The White House has indicated that Trump aims to quickly refocus attention on building upon a first-term initiative known as the Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic and commercial connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.

A permanent agreement regarding Gaza would help pave the way for Trump to initiate discussions with Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, toward normalizing relations with Israel, according to a senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters anonymously.

Such an agreement with Saudi Arabia, the most influential and wealthy Arab state, has potential to transform the region and enhance Israel's standing in historic ways.

However, brokering such an agreement remains challenging as the kingdom has maintained it won't officially recognize Israel before a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is achieved.