Trump's Middle East Deal: A Turning Point for Peace

Two years after the October 7 horror that left 1,200 innocents slaughtered and 251 dragged into the tunnels of Gaza, Israel and Hamas have announced a historic accord, with the last 20 hostages walking free. United States President Donald Trump has delivered a groundbreaking first stage of the deal, praising Israel's strongman prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly while pushing him into major concessions privately. Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, a "bare-knuckle" New York real estate bruiser, have played key roles in sealing the deal by treating it like another property deal.

Key Takeaways:

• The deal was sealed by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and property tycoon Steve Witkoff, who adopted a deal-making approach to negotiations.
• The breakthrough came after Trump strong-armed Hamas by warning he would allow Israel to unleash "all hell" if they refused to back down.
• The deal involved major concessions from Netanyahu, including a public apology to the Emir of Qatar for the September 9 attack.
• The agreement has brought together a once-unthinkable coalition of Arab and Muslim states applying pressure to Hamas to surrender.
• The implantation of the "Board of Peace" led by Sir Tony Blair to run Gaza before peace-loving Palestinians take over is already on shaky ground.
• The deal includes an "aspiration" that Israelis and Palestinians should live side-by-side in two states.
• Over 67,000 people died in the Gaza war, and their shattered communities will take decades to rebuild.

Statistics:

• 1,200 innocents were slaughtered on October 7, 2023.
• 251 people were dragged into the tunnels of Gaza.
• 30 world leaders, including Trump, Sir Keir Starmer, and Israeli and Palestinian leaders, gathered in Egypt recently.
• 20-point plan announced by Trump has brought a breakthrough to the Middle East peace talks.
• 67,000 people died in the Gaza war, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Sources:

• NICK PARKER, Foreign Editor of Hostages Square.
• Reference to the October 7 horror in the article.