Gaza Ceasefire Hinges on Return of Last Israeli Hostage, Netanyahu and Trump Meeting Advances Peace Plans
During a meeting at Mar-a-Lago, former US President Donald Trump warned Hamas that it would face severe consequences if it disarmed within a short period. The meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu coincides with ongoing US efforts to advance Phase Two of the Gaza peace plan, which includes establishing a Palestinian technocrat interim administration and deploying an international stabilisation force.
Netanyahu announced that Trump will receive the Israel Prize, the country's highest civilian honour, marking the first time a non-Israeli has been awarded. This meeting occurs amid concerns that some of Netanyahu's actions may be undermining the ceasefire efforts.
The ceasefire's progression is closely tied to Hamas returning the remains of Israeli hostage Ran Gvili, who was abducted in October 2023 and whose remains have yet to be returned. Netanyahu is expected to demand this as a prerequisite before moving to subsequent steps.
Since October, Hamas has freed 20 living hostages and returned the bodies of 27 deceased hostages, bringing the total number of hostages released under Biden administration-brokered deals to 138. Despite this, Hamas maintains it will not surrender its weapons while the occupation continues. The group currently controls parts of Gaza, which has a population of approximately 2.3 million.
Additionally, Trump warned that Iran could rebuild its nuclear capabilities, emphasizing that any confirmed nuclear development would face powerful consequences, potentially eradicating such advancements.
