'Donald Trump's claims of bringing peace to Middle East are obviously ridiculous'

US President Donald Trump’s florid claims of bringing peace to the Middle East after thousands of years are obviously ridiculous.

The region’s security and peace does not pivot entirely around Gaza but also the West Bank and various other troubled spots such as Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Then there is Iran and how it will respond to any new-look peaceful Israel and Palestine – if Trump and Netanyahu actually pull it off.

In the days it will take to persuade Hamas to agree to the deal and the many years it will take to implement it, including rebuilding the Strip, anything could go wrong. Hamas must give up everything. Power, weapons and money. Then they must either leave Gaza or bow to a peaceful future.

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In so many ways Trump has handed Netanyahu a pass to do what he likes if Hamas does not comply with
the “plan”. And there is so much hatred and mistrust that huge glitches and a possible return to war are inevitable. Israel has been handed an offer it will not want to refuse – with all the leverage on its side.

This is less of a peace plan than an ultimatum to Hamas. Trump has warned if they do not agree then Netanyahu has a green light to “do what you have to do.”

These hardline fighters and October 7 terror attackers have been through years of hard battles, brutality meted out by them and to them and their families and friends. It will take a huge effort to deradicalise them and persuade them and those close to them to give up any thought of rebelling against the process.

Then there is the two-state solution that most countries believe would be a fair result, to give Palestinians sovereignty and dignity. This is left as a vague possibility if all of the other conditions are met and Gaza is rebuilt, with its economic zones and new police force and Palestinian governing body.

Of course, it is easy to jab holes in this plan. But this is the closest thing we have seen to a way of ending the war since it broke out in October 2023. It is possible Gazans are so sick of the death, injury and destruction that they will ensure Hamas disappears forever and push down any sign of breaking any agreement.

There is so much that can go wrong with this plan that it is very early days in the process and it is very heavily weighted towards Israel maintaining control. This plan is vague and leaves enough wriggle room for both sides to mess it up. But tragically for now it may be the best we can hope for.