Trump Ultimatum Sparks Fragile Mideast Peace Hope

After two years of a bloody war, a chance for peace has emerged in the Middle East, which, however, is as fragile as it is long-awaited. The catalyst for the process was the harsh and unprecedented ultimatum to Hamas by US President Donald Trump, which was followed by the movement's partial agreement, the cessation of military operations by Israel, and a flood of responses from world leaders that were welcoming but cautiously optimistic.

It all started with Donald Trump's unequivocal statement, which left Hamas with no alternative. "If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not made, a completely unprecedented 'hell' will be unleashed against Hamas." With these words, the US President gave Hamas until Sunday evening to accept his 21-point plan for the future of Gaza.

Under pressure, Hamas's response was not long in coming. The movement announced that it agrees to release all hostages and is ready to start immediate negotiations. However, alongside this positive step, Hamas bypassed the most controversial and fundamental point of the plan: disarmament. Instead, the movement's representative, Musa Abu Marzouq, presented his own preconditions: disarmament should not be a precondition for negotiations, but a logical consequence of a final settlement and the creation of a Palestinian state. Marzouq also acknowledged the severe consequences of the war for the movement: "The problem is that 90% of Hamas's military capabilities have been destroyed. That is, there is nothing good left for Hamas to talk about regarding weapons."

Experts assess this move by Hamas as a calculated and clever tactic. According to analyst Amjad Iraqi, this allowed the movement on one hand to avoid falling under Trump's blow, and on the other hand, to leave room for bargaining.

Immediately after Hamas's partial agreement, Trump called on Israel to stop the bombing of Gaza, and soon Israeli media reported that the army had been instructed to halt offensive operations.

These developments were welcomed by world leaders. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on the parties to seize the opportunity, reiterating his demand for an "immediate and permanent ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian access."

French President Emmanuel Macron noted: "The release of all hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza are within reach. ...We now have an opportunity to make decisive progress towards peace."

Even the President of Turkey is pleased. Recep Erdoğan called Hamas's response a "constructive and significant step."

Berlin also reacted. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated: "After almost two years, this is the best chance for peace."

The events were summed up by Donald Trump himself: "I just want you to know that this is a very special day, in many ways unprecedented. ...Everyone was united in wanting this war to end and peace to be established in the Middle East. And we are very close to achieving that."

How realistic these expectations are will be shown in the coming days, perhaps even hours. What is certain at this moment is the huge number of killed. The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, killed 1,200 Israelis, and Israeli strikes in Gaza have claimed the lives of 66,000 Palestinians.