In a dramatic culmination of intense diplomacy, US President Donald Trump joined world leaders today to sign a landmark peace plan ending two years of devastating conflict in Gaza, marking what he called “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
The 20-point agreement, brokered by Trump’s envoys including son-in-law Jared Kushner and special representative Steve Witkoff, mandates an immediate ceasefire, the full release of all remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and the group’s disarmament. Hamas has already freed 20 living captives, though families expressed outrage over the delayed handover of four bodies. Gaza is to be redeveloped as a “deradicalised, terror-free zone” under a Palestinian technocratic administration, with international oversight including a UK-led peacekeeping role.
“This took 3,000 years—can you believe it? And it’s going to hold up,” Trump declared at the signing ceremony, flanked by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He praised Arab and Muslim nations for their “incredible breakthrough,” warning the deal averts a potential “Third World War.” Egyptian leader al-Sisi echoed the sentiment, hailing it as the “door to a new era of peace and security.”
Earlier, Trump addressed Israel’s Knesset in Jerusalem, where he was heckled by left-wing MPs but received a standing ovation. “We’ve achieved what everybody said was impossible,” he told lawmakers, urging Israel to halt bombing and commit to lasting peace. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed Israel’s resolve, noting the “high price” of the war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 and took 251 hostages.
The deal, ratified by Israel’s cabinet last week, includes £20 million in immediate UK aid for Gaza reconstruction. Critics, however, question enforcement amid regional tensions. Hamas leaders cited assurances on Palestinian self-determination as key to acceptance, while Trump vowed US troops—200 already deploying—to support a Gaza task force.
As celebrations erupted in Palestinian streets and vigils honored victims, Trump’s gamble yields his boldest foreign policy win yet, reshaping alliances from Qatar to Saudi Arabia. “Peace in the Middle East—finally,” he tweeted post-signing. Global observers watch warily: will this fragile accord endure?
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