Donald Trump’s Gaza deal is a circuit breaker in the cycle of death. But it does not address its drivers. This is a ceasefire. Peace is harder.

Did the US president hasten the deal so that he could beat the Friday deadline for the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize winner? So it seems. But so what? “Blessed are the peacemakers!” as Trump said, quoting from the Sermon on the Mount. And surely everyone who values the sanctity of life would agree, even if Trump actually prefers a medal to a blessing.

Only a determined president of the US could force Israel to the negotiating table. And also apply sufficient pressure on two of the three main sponsors of Hamas – Qatar and Turkey, but not Iran – so that Hamas was forced to talk terms with Israel.

Trump’s intervention has set a path to achi

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