The world has a problem in judging how far President Donald Trump’s gargantuan claim to have ended the war in Gaza and brought peace to the Middle East is rooted in reality – and how much is self-glorifying bombast.

Trump’s achievement is huge and the ceasefire in Gaza he forced on Israe l has already saved the lives of scores of Palestinians who might otherwise have joined the 16,000 killed since Israel ended its last ceasefire on 18 March. Close to 15 out of 16 of the dead were civilians, according to detailed figures compiled by the US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED).

Commentators stress that the Trump peace plan is skimpy and vague, yet it is reshaping crucial features of the political landscape in Israel, deterring the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netan

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