Donald Trump's Unorthodox Diplomacy Achieves Hostage Deal and Halts Two Year Conflict Between Israel and Hamas
Written byTimes Magazine
The announcement of a phased Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in late 2025, which includes a hostage release and an Israeli troop withdrawal, represents a monumental diplomatic breakthrough for President Donald Trump after a conflict that had dragged on for two brutal years. The core question is: how did Trump succeed where the preceding Joe Biden administration had been eluded for months, despite laying much of the foundational work? The answer lies in the unorthodox diplomacy and, critically, the willingness to apply American pressure on the key parties, particularly Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israel Hamas war had been the subject of relentless negotiations spearheaded by the Biden administration, which devised the ultimate framework for the multi-phase deal. However, critics argue that Biden's long-standing policy of near-unconditional support for Israel, while intended to maintain the alliance, deprived the US of the necessary leverage to push the final agreement over the line. Netanyahu, facing intense domestic pressure from his hardline coalition, repeatedly stalled on the core elements of a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Enter President Trump. Fresh from his historic victory and with his inauguration imminent, Trump brought a new and decisive dynamic. According to reports from diplomats involved in the talks, it was the first time that real pressure on the Israeli side was clearly applied. Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy, Steven Witkoff, along with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, reportedly pressured Netanyahu to accept the deal that he had previously rejected. This willingness to push Netanyahu, combined with Trump's personal connections with key Arab leaders in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, created a unique diplomatic cocktail. These regional mediators, who were essential in dealing with Hamas, were reassured by the new administration’s commitment to forcing a resolution.
Trump’s maximum pressure approach served as a powerful incentive for both sides. For Israel, the prospect of a new US administration with a strong political mandate and a history of surprising policy shifts made giving Trump a quick winand securing the release of the remaining hostages a pragmatic political necessity. For Hamas, facing immense military pressure and a catastrophic humanitarian situation, the involvement of a powerful president known for his decisive, if unpredictable, style was perceived as a viable guarantor for an end to the fighting and the Israeli withdrawal.
The deal, which includes a partial Israeli withdrawal to an agreed line and the exchange of all remaining hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, is a significant first step. While the ultimate durability of the peace and the resolution of contentious issues like post-war Gaza governance remain uncertain, the breakthrough itself is a testament to the fact that, in the delicate balance of the Middle East, the power of political will and the strategic use of leverage proved to be the critical difference in ending the protracted conflict.
