Trump announces deal to end Gaza war – Rezazade

​US President Donald Trump has officially announced the first phase of a peace deal between Israel and Hamas, which includes a ceasefire, the release of hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. He made the announcement on Wednesday, adding that he would soon personally visit the region to “celebrate a historic event.”

Under the deal, Hamas agreed to release all hostages in exchange for a gradual release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel. The plan also includes massive humanitarian aid to the devastated and exhausted Gaza, where millions of people are on the brink of starvation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the day “a big one for Israel” and said the government would approve the deal soon. At the same time, he refrained from mentioning the release of Palestinian prisoners, one of Hamas’s main conditions.

However, experts emphasize that despite the unprecedented diplomatic initiative, previous attempts to end the war have repeatedly collapsed due to distrust between the parties and deep political contradictions.

International expert, first vice president of the Iranian opposition in Washington, Ali Reza Rezazadeh, believes that the agreement announced by Trump is “an important but extremely fragile step” that could be both the beginning of a new era and a prelude to a new round of violence.

“Today we see how the Donald Trump administration is returning to its classic approach — agreements based not on trust, but on the balance of power. However, the key difference this time is that both sides are physically exhausted, and the conflict has become politically toxic even for their patrons,” Rezazade explains.

According to the expert, Hamas understands that holding hostages no longer brings strategic benefits, but only provokes further Israeli strikes. Israel, in turn, is facing pressure from its own society, where the release of hostages has become an absolute priority.

“Netanyahu is playing not only on the international stage today, but also in domestic politics. His rating has fallen to a historic low, and any step towards peace could become a chance for political survival,” Rezazade notes.

The expert emphasizes that even if the ceasefire is observed, questions remain on the horizon: who will control Gaza after the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and whether the “Trump 20-point plan” will open up a real prospect of Palestinian statehood.

“Peace cannot be just a document. If the US does not create a mechanism of guarantees, then even the most high-profile signatures will be worthless. But if this process continues, we may witness the beginning of a new chapter in the Middle East — after decades of blood, blockades and destruction,” Ali Reza Rezazade concludes.