by Barak Ravid at Axios
As negotiations for a Gaza peace deal approached the finish line, President Trump provided a personal guarantee he wouldn’t let Israel abandon it and resume the war, two U.S. officials revealed in a briefing with reporters.
Why it matters: Trump’s assurances were a key factor in convincing Hamas to take the deal, the sources say. The ceasefire is now officially in effect after Israel’s cabinet approved the deal early Friday morning local time.
- The officials said that part of Trump’s guarantee was the establishment of a U.S.-led military task force to oversee the ceasefire and address any violations.
Driving the news: The Israeli military must now withdraw its forces to an agreed perimeter inside Gaza within 24 hours of the cabinet vote.
- In the next 72 hours after that happens, Hamas must release all of the remaining hostages, 20 of whom are alive. That should be completed by Monday.
The intrigue: A U.S. official told Axios one factor in the breakthrough was that “Hamas had started to see the hostages as a liability rather than an asset” in terms of its future negotiating position.
- With that in mind, the U.S. side came into this week’s talks believing Hamas was now ready to free the hostages, and that they could ensure the Israelis stuck to their side of the bargain.
Behind the scenes:…
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