This particular message from Donald Trump, posted on his Truth Social network, carried a special and unique weight. Published on Wednesday, October 8, shortly before 7 pm in Washington (1 am Thursday in Paris), it announced that both Israel and Hamas had accepted the terms of the Gaza peace plan's first phase, which was unveiled on September 29. "This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon," the US president wrote, "and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly!" Trump went on to thank Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, who are acting as mediators between the Israeli and Hamas delegations in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Earlier that morning, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, arrived in Egypt to support the final diplomatic push. Two years after the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, which were followed by a devastating war in the Gaza Strip, the hope of an end to hostilities is finally emerging. Trump is expected to travel to Egypt in the coming days.

You have 76% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.