President Donald Trump on Monday wrapped up a whirlwind tour of the Middle East, heralding what he called an “historic dawn of a new Middle East” and signing a landmark peace deal aimed at ending the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The trip, which spanned Israel and Egypt, was part diplomatic mission and part victory lap. Trump received a hero’s welcome at the Israeli Knesset, where lawmakers rose in applause, and he was praised repeatedly during the peace proceedings in Egypt. For many, the trip marked a long-awaited turning point: all remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas were freed, while Israel released 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Gazans arrested after Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
Yet, beneath the celebration, questions linger about whether this fragile peace can last — and whether Trump’s plan can truly reshape a region that has known generations of turmoil.
Here are five key takeaways from Trump’s trip.
1. Trump Confident ‘War Is Over’ — Others Less Sure
From the moment Air Force One lifted off for Israel, Trump projected certainty. “The war is over,” he told reporters mid-flight, repeating the declaration upon arrival and again at the signing ceremony in Egypt.
“This took 3,000 years to get to this point. Can you believe it?” Trump said as he inked his signature onto the peace accord. “And it’s going to hold up, too.”
But analysts and even some Trump allies voiced caution. The peace plan’s success hinges on Hamas decommissioning its weapons — a step the militant group has yet to take.
“A word of caution,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned on X. “Disarming Hamas and ensuring they never again control Gaza will require regional cooperation on a scale never seen before.”
Reports from Gaza on Monday underscored those doubts, as clashes between Hamas and local militias left dozens dead — a stark reminder that peace on paper may not mean peace on the ground.
2. Israel Works to Recover Deceased Hostages
While 20 living hostages returned to Israel to tearful family reunions, a somber effort is underway to recover the remains of 28 others believed killed in captivity.
The Israeli military confirmed that four coffins had been transferred back to Israel with assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross. Hamas has asked for more time to locate the remaining bodies, saying some are in areas under Israeli military control.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum — a key advocacy group — expressed anger at the delay, urging the Israeli government to suspend the ceasefire until Hamas fulfills its commitments.
“An agreement must be honored by both sides,” the group said in a statement. “If Hamas does not fulfill their part, Israel should not fulfill theirs.”
3. Netanyahu Skips Peace Summit, Abbas Steps In
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah for skipping the summit in Egypt. Still, his absence cast a long shadow.
In his place, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas — now 89 — attended, shaking hands with Trump and exchanging brief remarks. It was only their second meeting ever.
Trump’s plan envisions a reformed Palestinian Authority eventually governing Gaza, while Netanyahu has repeatedly opposed a fully sovereign Palestinian state. That rift underscores the challenge ahead: bridging vastly different visions for Gaza’s future.
Trump also pointed to the presence of regional leaders from Qatar, the UAE, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia — nations that will play a critical role in enforcing and funding postwar reconstruction, even as many remain wary of Israel.
4. Trump Pushes to Expand the Abraham Accords
Trump’s peace deal also served as a platform to revive one of his signature foreign policy initiatives: the Abraham Accords, which normalized ties between Israel and several Arab nations in 2020.
“We’re going to get a lot of people joining the Abraham Accords,” Trump said in Egypt. “A lot of countries are talking about it right now.”
So far, only Bahrain, the UAE, and Morocco have formalized ties with Israel under the accords. Trump suggested that more nations — including Saudi Arabia — could soon follow, though Riyadh has long maintained that Palestinian statehood is a prerequisite.
Trump also floated other grand diplomatic ambitions, including ending the war in Ukraine and pursuing “a possible truce with Iran,” saying, “It will be the best decision Iran has ever made.”
5. The Future of Gaza Remains Unclear
Despite Monday’s celebrations, Gaza faces an uncertain future. Two years of war have devastated the enclave: tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, and much of Gaza’s infrastructure lies in ruins.
“The challenge now is tomorrow — and implementation,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Sky News. The U.K., he said, stands ready to assist in demilitarization efforts but has not joined Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace,” a governing oversight committee for postwar Gaza.
That board — chaired by Trump and including figures such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair — remains in flux, with no finalized membership list. Hamas has already rejected several of Trump’s conditions, including full disarmament and surrendering political control.
Hamas spokesperson Bassem Naim told Sky News that Blair “is not welcome in Gaza” due to his role in the 2003 Iraq invasion.
The Bottom Line
Trump’s Middle East trip delivered powerful optics and major symbolic wins — the release of hostages, regional applause, and a signed peace deal. But the reality on the ground remains complex.
Whether Trump’s “historic dawn” will usher in real peace or fade into another chapter of the region’s long conflict depends on what comes next: disarmament, reconstruction, and political compromise in one of the world’s most fragile landscapes.
