In a development that marks one of the most unexpected turns in Middle East diplomacy, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on October 8 that Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a comprehensive peace deal for Gaza. If Trump manages to thread this needle, if his audacious 20-point plan carries beyond the ceasefire to the second stage, and dismantles Hamas’s military stranglehold, he doesn’t just deserve a pat on the back. He deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, rewarded with no compunction.
Flickers of Hope for a Path to Peace in the Middle East
For Palestinians in Gaza, where the war has displaced millions and devastated infrastructure, this ceasefire promises a new beginning and relief from bombardment and blockade. This will allow humanitarian aid to flow freely and set the stage for long-term governance reforms. The deal also provides a pathway to ending the decades-long occupation of Gaza and a move toward the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
As a lifelong liberal who has spent the better part of the last decade decrying Trump’s every tweet, policy, and polarizing rally cry, I never thought I’d utter these words. But here we are, on the brink of what could be the most improbable diplomatic achievement in modern history: a genuine path to peace in the Middle East.
To be clear, this isn’t some sudden conversion to MAGA mania. I’ve marched against Trump’s border wall, agonized over his assault on democratic norms, and clamored for the victims of January 6. I’m furious at Trump for sending ICE agents to round up refugees who seek a better life in America. I’m livid that Trump has authorized National Guard troops to invade our cities.
But politics demands intellectual honesty. And right now, with the Middle East teetering on the edge of another catastrophic escalation, refusing to acknowledge a potential breakthrough would make me no better than the tribal partisans I so often criticize. Two years after that fateful day on October 7, 2023, when Hamas brutally attacked and killed over 1,200 Israelis and sparked a war that’s claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives, any flicker of hope deserves attention, no matter its source.
Why This Proposal May Succeed Where Others Have Failed
Trump’s proposal, unveiled in September, is as bold as it is controversial. It’s a blueprint that aims to resolve the core flashpoints all at once. Progress has already been made on the release of the 20 living and deceased hostages. Additional key elements include immediate humanitarian corridors to flood Gaza with aid, and a framework for Hamas’s disarmament tied to Israeli withdrawals and international oversight for postwar governance.
For a long time, there was reasonable cause for skepticism. Trump’s track record on peace is not a straight line. His Abraham Accords normalized ties between Israel and several Arab states, a remarkable achievement that even many progressives hesitatingly applauded. But those deals ignored the broader Palestinian question. Trump’s “Deal of the Century” from his first term was nothing more than an unfair real estate pitch disguised as diplomacy that alienated Palestinians and generated more resentment.
This new agreement mirrors that colonial mindset, prioritizing Israeli security over Palestinian self-determination. With sticking points like Gaza’s long-term governance or the thorny issue of Hamas’s surrender, the whole agreement could crumble in minutes. We’ve seen ceasefires collapse before, each one dragging the region deeper into despair.
The scale of this momentous breakthrough cannot be overstated. What began as a grinding stalemate, with numerous failed negotiations and ongoing violence, has now shifted dramatically. A key element of this progress has been Trump’s ability to rally international partners, particularly Qatar, which has played a pivotal role in mediating between the parties.
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Qatar’s Role in the Peace Plan
Trump’s success in securing Qatar’s cooperation alone is a feat, given the country’s delicate balancing act in the region. In a world where geopolitical divides often appear insurmountable, this deal illustrates a profound truth: With strategic leverage and unrelenting negotiation, even the impossible becomes possible.
Broader regional buy-in from Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and even indirect signals from Saudi Arabia underscores the deal’s multilateral foundation.
More specifically, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey came together to pressure Hamas into agreeing to the deal through a coordinated diplomatic push. This unified effort, bolstered by Trump’s strategic leverage, including the authorization of strikes on Hamas targets in Qatar, effectively isolated the group, compelling concessions on hostage releases and ceasefire terms.
Qatar, as the host to Hamas’s political leadership, was compelled to act due to mounting U.S. demands for tangible results in the negotiations; in return, it secured an Israeli apology for a failed airstrike on Hamas figures in Doha and a new U.S. security pact to strengthen Doha’s defenses.
Egypt’s concerns over the potential for mass Palestinian emigration into the Sinai, which it feared could destabilize the country, jeopardize the 1979 peace treaty with Israel, and risk the $1.3 billion in annual U.S. aid it receives, led to Cairo mobilizing troops along the frontier and pressing Hamas to de-escalate.
Promising Support from Muslim Countries
Turkey, seeking to repair strained ties with the U.S., leveraged its influence over Hamas’s regional networks to advocate for the deal, in exchange for sanctions relief, access to F-35 stealth fighters, new F-16 jets, and expanded military cooperation.
Importantly, Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country, endorsed the deal as a “concrete and progressive step.” President Prabowo Subianto was actively engaged on the issue, particularly during the UN General Assembly in September. In his speech, he emphasized a balanced two-state approach, stating that Indonesia would “immediately recognize the State of Israel” once Palestine achieves independence. He also pledged 20,000 troops for peacekeeping in Gaza “or anywhere peace is threatened.” This drew sharp criticism in Indonesia and the Muslim world for appearing too conciliatory toward Israel.
Also notable, Pakistan, too, expressed its support for the plan, despite generating significant outrage at home from critics who view it as a betrayal of the Palestinians. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly endorsed the initiative, but his stance sparked protests and accusations of complicity in what was seen as an imbalanced proposal favoring Israeli interests. Trump himself highlighted Pakistan’s contribution during the negotiations praising Prime Minister Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir. Trump credited this global alignment, noting that “the whole world came together” to make the agreement possible.
If this initial phase holds, and subsequent stages lead to a full disarmament of Hamas, normalized relations, and a viable path to Palestinian statehood, it would demonstrate that even the most entrenched conflicts can yield to determined diplomacy.
Not Just a Triumph for Trump, but for Humanity
Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, hands down, for orchestrating this improbable alignment. The committee has long honored leaders who forge peace against steep odds, from Sadat and Begin’s Camp David Accords to the Oslo process. A successful implementation here, delivering hostages home, silencing the guns, and alleviating Palestinian hardship, would place Trump in that lineage, transcending partisan divides through concrete results.
Trump, the definitive disruptor, fits the mold of a wildcard who twists history. His brash style, touting the peace deal as a “really good” shot on the campaign trail, grates on my nerves. But even I agree that results trump rhetoric. Now that the hostages and prisoners are free, aid trucks roll in unimpeded with food and medicine for the Palestinians, we are witnessing not just a Trump triumph, but a human one.
All parties must honor the ceasefire, and the focus must now remain on building a sustainable framework that addresses root causes, ensuring this agreement endures as a foundation for lasting stability in the Middle East.
Featured image by Gints Ivuskans , via Dreamstime.com