Regional Leaders Gather as Peace Process Advances

President Trump launches a significant Middle Eastern diplomatic mission Sunday, celebrating the American-facilitated ceasefire while urging allies to seize unprecedented opportunities for establishing durable regional peace. He perceives a narrow but critical window for reconfiguring Middle Eastern relationships and bridging longstanding Israeli-Arab divides.
This sensitive moment finds Israel and Hamas cautiously executing initial steps of Trump’s comprehensive agreement aimed at permanently ending conflict sparked by Hamas’s 2023 attack. The Republican president attributes favorable conditions to his administration’s support for Israel’s successful operations against Iranian-backed militant organizations.
According to administration officials, positive momentum reflects Arab and Muslim states’ intensified focus on the broader Israeli-Palestinian dispute alongside strengthening American relationships. Trump expressed certainty about Gaza’s reconstruction, suggesting wealthy neighboring countries could easily fund rebuilding efforts they seem willing to undertake.
The ceasefire’s first phase involves releasing remaining hostages held by Hamas, freeing Palestinian prisoners from Israeli facilities, surging humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and implementing partial Israeli military withdrawals. Israeli troops withdrew from certain Gaza sectors Friday, triggering a 72-hour timeline for hostage releases potentially coinciding with Trump’s visit.
The presidential itinerary includes a Knesset address, an honor not extended since 2008, followed by an Egyptian summit with over 20 national leaders. However, fundamental issues remain unresolved, including Gaza’s postwar administration, reconstruction financing, and Hamas disarmament demands that could derail negotiations.