Even for Donald Trump, a president who revels in his place at the centre of world events, it was a dramatic moment. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio interrupted a televised meeting Trump was chairing in Washington DC on Wednesday. He handed over a message that the President needed to tell the world that they had a deal. Trump told the audience in the room – and millions more who have now seen the video – that he would have to leave.
They're going to need me… he said, interrupting the day's business. I have to go now to try to solve some problems in the Middle East.
Israel and Hamas signed off the first phase of what Donald Trump intends to be a wider agreement after three days of indirect talks in Egypt.
Mediators from Qatar and Egypt went between the Israeli and Palestinian negotiators who were on separate floors of a hotel in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. To add heft to the talks, and to keep the pressure on the Israelis, Donald Trump sent his son-in-law Jared Kushner and his envoy Steve Witkoff. The prime minister of Qatar and the intelligence chiefs of Egypt and Turkey were also involved in negotiations for Hamas.
While the agreement is a major breakthrough, it does not mean the war is over. However, it presents a realistic chance of ending the horrors of the past two years for both sides.
The plan outlines that a ceasefire will be followed by the release of Israeli hostages, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Furthermore, Israel will ease some restrictions on humanitarian aid, allowing for a significant increase in aid deliveries to Gaza.
Despite the positive developments, several obstacles remain. The complex demands from both Israel and Hamas underline the challenges that lie ahead. Hamas desires Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, a condition that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adamantly rejected.
Opinions are divided within Israel and Palestine, with celebrations breaking out in both regions following the agreement in Sharm El-Sheikh. However, the situation is bittersweet, as individual families and entire communities cope with the losses incurred during this prolonged conflict. Negotiations have begun but will require continued US pressure and political maneuvering to ensure a sustainable solution is reached.
They're going to need me… he said, interrupting the day's business. I have to go now to try to solve some problems in the Middle East.
Israel and Hamas signed off the first phase of what Donald Trump intends to be a wider agreement after three days of indirect talks in Egypt.
Mediators from Qatar and Egypt went between the Israeli and Palestinian negotiators who were on separate floors of a hotel in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. To add heft to the talks, and to keep the pressure on the Israelis, Donald Trump sent his son-in-law Jared Kushner and his envoy Steve Witkoff. The prime minister of Qatar and the intelligence chiefs of Egypt and Turkey were also involved in negotiations for Hamas.
While the agreement is a major breakthrough, it does not mean the war is over. However, it presents a realistic chance of ending the horrors of the past two years for both sides.
The plan outlines that a ceasefire will be followed by the release of Israeli hostages, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Furthermore, Israel will ease some restrictions on humanitarian aid, allowing for a significant increase in aid deliveries to Gaza.
Despite the positive developments, several obstacles remain. The complex demands from both Israel and Hamas underline the challenges that lie ahead. Hamas desires Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, a condition that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adamantly rejected.
Opinions are divided within Israel and Palestine, with celebrations breaking out in both regions following the agreement in Sharm El-Sheikh. However, the situation is bittersweet, as individual families and entire communities cope with the losses incurred during this prolonged conflict. Negotiations have begun but will require continued US pressure and political maneuvering to ensure a sustainable solution is reached.
