A significant breakthrough has emerged in the two-year conflict in Gaza, with a ceasefire deal announced and preparations underway for its implementation. This pivotal development is largely attributed to a peace plan spearheaded by US President Donald Trump, marking a collective international effort involving the United States, Arab states, Turkey, and key individuals like former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Donald Trump's engagement in the peace process underwent a notable evolution. Initially, his rhetoric leaned towards the displacement of Palestinians, but he was later persuaded to shift his stance, asserting that "Gaza should be for Gazans" and opposing Israeli rule over the territory. A critical turning point occurred at a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, chaired by Trump and organized by the United Arab Emirates. Here, Trump presented his 20-point peace plan to Arab and Muslim states, outlining a potential framework for a stabilization force in Gaza following a ceasefire.

Key to this shift was the influence of individuals such as his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Tony Blair. Blair notably convinced Trump that a comprehensive "day after" plan for Gaza's future was not a complication but a precondition for success. This plan addressed the crucial question of who would govern Gaza post-conflict, ensuring that Hamas would not remain in power and that Israel would eventually withdraw its forces. This provided the necessary political leverage for Arab states to pressure Hamas into negotiations, pointing towards a route to Palestinian statehood, a long-standing precondition for reconciliation with Israel. Trump’s willingness to exert pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also significant, reportedly leading to an apology from Netanyahu after an unconsulted bombing of Doha and a commitment against future West Bank annexations.

The announcement of Trump's peace proposal initiated a frantic series of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, primarily held in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm-el Sheikh. High-level envoys, including Jared Kushner, İbrahim Kalın (head of Turkish intelligence), and Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (Prime Minister of Qatar), joined the talks, signaling the imminent possibility of a breakthrough. Hamas negotiators, led by Khalil al-Hayya, Mohammad al-Hindi, and Jamil Mezher, focused on clarifying details regarding Palestinian prisoner releases, the mechanism for Israeli hostage liberation, and the critical "day after" aspects of the agreement.

The first phase of the deal outlines a ceasefire, the release of 20 Israeli hostages captured on October 7, 2023, and approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Notably, Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian figure, was excluded from the list of prisoners to be released. Under the agreement, Israel's forces would withdraw to an agreed line within the Gaza Strip, maintaining control over 53% of the territory. The deal triggered mixed reactions: while Israelis celebrated with joy and relief, Gazans expressed a blend of happiness and anxiety, fearing the deal's potential collapse given past disappointments. UN agencies have declared readiness to rush humanitarian aid into Gaza, where a famine was declared, and the UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for safe access, removal of bureaucratic obstacles, rebuilding shattered infrastructure, and robust funding.

Despite the immediate progress, substantial challenges remain for the subsequent phases of Trump's 20-point plan. These include Hamas's disarmament, its exclusion from future administrations, the mandate of an international peacekeeping force, the delivery of resumed aid flows, and the future relationship between Gaza and the West Bank as the nucleus of a future Palestinian state. Hamas has already rejected Trump's proposal for an interim "Board of Peace" to oversee Gaza's administration, highlighting ongoing disagreements. The timing of Hamas's weapons handover remains a particularly difficult unresolved issue, with the group potentially willing to disarm to an Arab-run authority or a Palestinian civil police force, but not to Israel. Trump's continued pressure on Netanyahu is seen as critical, with Hamas acknowledging him as a guarantor of the plan.

The two-year conflict has exacted a horrific human toll. The Hamas attacks of October 2023 killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, and devastated much of Gaza. While this agreement represents the biggest foreign policy achievement for Donald Trump so far, the path to a durable and comprehensive peace for the region, which has never known consistent peace since the creation of Israel, remains fraught with complexities and requires sustained commitment to resolve the deeper, contested issues.