How Trump secured a Gaza breakthrough which eluded Biden

5 hours ago Share Save Anthony Zurcher North America correspondent and Tom Bateman State Department correspondent Share Save

Getty Images Shoulder to shoulder - Trump and Netanyahu

At the time, Israel's air strike against the Hamas negotiating team in Qatar seemed like yet another escalation that pushed the prospect of peace further away. The attack on 9 September violated the sovereignty of an American ally and risked expanding the conflict into a region-wide war. Diplomacy appeared to be in ruins. Instead it turned out to be a key moment that has led to a deal, announced by President Donald Trump, to release all remaining hostages. This is a goal that he, and President Joe Biden before him, had sought for nearly two years. It is just the first step towards a more durable peace, and the details of Hamas disarmament, Gaza governance and full Israeli withdrawal remain to be negotiated. But if this agreement holds, it could be Trump's signature achievement of his second term - one that eluded Biden and his diplomatic team. Trump's unique style and crucial relationships with Israel and the Arab world appear to have contributed to this breakthrough. But, as with most diplomatic achievements, there were also factors at play beyond control of either man.

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