By Peter Brown
When President Trump strode before the cameras to announce “peace in Gaza,” the world applauded – and rightly so. After years of unrelenting bloodshed, the sight of a signed ceasefire agreement was something few dared imagine. Credit where it’s due: Trump’s determination to make a deal delivered results. But let’s not kid ourselves that this was the work of one man.
Behind the presidential podium stood an invisible army of diplomats, mediators, and regional actors whose tireless efforts paved the road to peace. Their names may never trend on social media, but without them, there would have been no handshakes, no signatures, and no ceasefire.
Ironically, the framework Trump has claimed as his crowning achievement was largely built by his predecessor. Joe Biden and his diplomatic team spent months developing a roadmap for Gaza – one that linked a ceasefire to hostage releases, humanitarian access, and security guarantees. By the time Trump took office, much of the scaffolding was already in place. Biden himself described the new deal as being based on the framework his administration developed.
Then Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the U.S. diplomatic corps also deserve recognition. Their relentless shuttle diplomacy throughout 2024 kept channels open between Jerusalem, Doha, and Cairo when talks seemed doomed. The State Department’s groundwork gave Trump something to work with – a diplomatic head start rather than a blank slate.
While Washington wrestled over who gets the credit, it was Qatar and Egypt who did the heavy lifting on the ground. Both nations have long acted as intermediaries between Israel and Hamas, maintaining fragile relationships that make dialogue possible. Their negotiators endured marathon sessions in Doha and Cairo, coaxing rival factions toward compromise.
Turkey also played a supporting role, using its leverage with Hamas to encourage acceptance of the new framework. Without these regional players, Trump’s celebrated “deal of the century – part two” would never have left the runway.
One of Trump’s lesser-known appointments, real estate developer Steve Witkoff, was dispatched as a special Middle East envoy. Working discreetly, he liaised with Qatari and Egyptian counterparts to finalise terms. It was Witkoff, some suggest, who bridged the final gap between U.S. demands and the regional realities on the ground – proof that sometimes diplomacy works best away from the spotlight.
Shared Credit, Shared Responsibility
It’s tempting – politically and theatrically – to frame moments of peace as one-man miracles. But diplomacy is a relay race, not a solo sprint. Trump carried the baton across the line, but Biden’s team built the track, and regional mediators guided the runners around every obstacle.
If the peace holds – and that remains a very large “if” – the world should thank not only the man in the red tie but also those in rolled-up sleeves who negotiated through the night.
History is rarely kind to nuance, but it’s worth remembering that even great deals are the product of many hands. The Gaza agreement, whatever name it finally bears, should stand as a testament to shared effort rather than singular glory.
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If anyone thinks this is going past the first few weeks of glad handing and victory laps, they are sadly mistaken.Israel got the last remaining live hostages, Palestine got a number of illegally detained innocents back, but this is all bullshit.Netanyahu has got no intention of letting the genocide up..they are so close to the finish of eradicating the Palestinians that they won’t let up.
The goose Trump has been once again played for the fool that he is.
When it all goes to shit,Hamas will be once again portrayed as the evil bastards that can’t be trusted, and the genocide will continue.
And the US is our bestest friend..no shit.
I’m with you, Harry.
Everything Trump touches… dies.
He certainly was Trumpeting today. Dark Victory indeed.
I see it as the greatest vicotry in history, since Caligula returned to Rome in triumph with all the sea shells he had picked up and stored, on the coast.
Small point, worries me.. In media reports, they have termed the Israelis as “hostages” and the thousands of Gazans picked up over some time, as “detainees”.
The pointed hypocrisy is jarring.
According to the Financial Review Trump ended a 3,000 year war.
I don’t dare think – or look – at what Sky News must be saying. Whatever, it’ll be more outstanding – bolder, heroic – than how the FR reported it.
Trump hasn’t ‘triumphed in Gaza, peace in the Middle East is just as far away as it was last year. Trump is just playing with himself and other world leaders are just edging him on.
Thousands have died and $millions have been spent and the Israel v Palestinian conflict is unresolved, what we are being fed is just political bullshit.
The Donald share credit (for anything come to think of it) and thank all those who worked hard behind the scenes? Bwahahaha…
Exactly correct Harry and Jonangel: Bibi’s chagrin was obvious on camera at the Knesset when Trump jibed him and praised Miriam Adelson. Of course Bibi’s priority for the day was to observe a Jewish religious holiday so he couldn’t possibly attend the signing ceremony at Sharm-el-Sheik.
After reading a report about what goes on at the the detention centre for Gazan women hostages I am even less certain that Donald has miraculously rescued the world from harm.
What I read made me very jarred to say the least.
And all TV can blither on about is the Israeli folk released, no mention of all the Gazans kept in prison raped and abused. Not well this morning.
Rather instructive piece in the Guardian today by Owen Jones about how history tells us ‘the crimes of Empire were later mirrored back on European soil’..how what we’ve allowed to happen in Palestine will come back to get us.We might add, again,how history tells us we learn nothing from history.
We have a grandstand seat watching our so called leaders repeat the same mistakes.We may well be better off back in the trees.Thats if our hairy ancestors allow it,and we have any trees left.
Harry, you are so right, two party politics is only one step away from Dictatorship. Reason, in this country and many others there is little difference between the two parties. What is required is two fold, !) more public education regarding politics. 2) A complete revision of our electoral system.
The price to enter the political scene in this country, is lots of money or making ones self compliant to the party system, at which time you have sold your soul.
Football in all it’s forms, rates higher in this country, than the wellbeing of it people. But, I suppose you get what you deserve?
There will be peace for all eternity in the Middle East.
You what????
He portrays himself as the messiah, the deal maker, the most peaceful man in all of time. I am waiting, sadly, for the first rocket, the first gunshot, which Israel will claim as Hamas and they will go back in guns and bombs blazing to raise Gaza to the ground and finally have all the people in one spot so they can erase the Palestinians for ever.
Israel has already broken this ceasefire, and is laying the grounds to renege on letting the food supply through.
‘The Israeli military killed five Palestinians in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City on Tuesday. A number of outlets report that the five were going to check on their houses in the eastern Gaza City suburb. The Israeli military admitted to killing the group, claiming they approached its soldiers. There are also reports of the Israeli military killing one Palestinian in Khan Younis. In response, UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese said on X: “Ceasefire according to Israel=‘you cease, I fire.’ Calling it ‘peace’ is both an insult and a distraction.”’
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/drop-site-daily-israel-violates-gaza-ceasefire-humanitarian-aid
Where are the Western leaders pressuring Israel to keep to the ceasefire agreement?
I can’t see our MSM, but would guess that they aren’t filled with headlines of ‘Israel breaks ceasefire, Trump no good to his word’
Are Albanese and Wong condemning Israel for breaking the ceasefire? they were lightning quick to support this sham, are they outraged it has been broken already?
Incidently, why haven’t Albanese, Dreyfus, and Wong been referred to the ICC already?
Western imperialists and Israel will try to erase evidence of this depraved colonialist genocide, it has already started.
“Instagram has deleted the verified account of Gaza journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi, who had 4.5 million followers, while archived versions of his page on the Wayback Machine also appear to have disappeared. Writer Susan Abulhawa said the removals raise alarm about a possible digital erasure of Palestinian reporting and evidence of Israeli war crimes. Al-Jafarawi, whose coverage of the Gaza genocide drew a massive following despite repeated censorship, was killed in Gaza City on Sunday by an armed group reportedly collaborating with Israel.”
(dropsitenews)
“Yemeni-Jewish journalist Noa Avishag Schnall described being beaten, shackled, and detained by Israeli forces after the Freedom Flotilla vessel The Conscience was attacked in international waters en route to Gaza. In a video dispatch for Drop Site hours after her release, she condemned ongoing systemic oppression, saying the ceasefire will not end occupation or the existence of prisons used to torture Palestinians, and called for continued public resistance. ” (Dropsitenews)
Australian citizens complained of being beaten and tortured by Israeli forces. Australian citizens were greenlit to sue Qatar airways for being subjected to intrusive searches, why isn’t Labor supporting those abused by the Israeli forces?
Why are Albanese and Marles still walking around signing weapons deals with the Israel weapons company Elbit? why haven’t they been referred to the ICC yet?
Quite right Gonggongche, the historical revisionism is well underway.
The strategy outlined here won’t surprise you, but many will remain unaware:
“The Eighth Front: Israel’s digital Iron Dome and the narrative battle.”
“As its military bombs Gaza, despite agreeing to a ceasefire, Tel Aviv launches a parallel online offensive aimed at silencing resistance narratives, manipulating global perceptions, and re-engineering the digital memory of its war crimes.”
https://thecradle.co/articles-id/33622
Speaking of weapons deals… if China going ahead with their threat to halt all sales of rare earth minerals to the USA, our submarines can’t be built.
Much chatter has emerged offshore in Europe, US and Israel repeating previous claims that a deal was done pre 2024 election for Netanyahu not yielding to Biden demands for a ceasefire, as Harris would benefit.
Outcome? The three amigos have benefitted with Putin getting a breather in Ukraine, Trump becoming President and Netanyahu staying out of gaol.
Related, think 2018 elections Netanyahu used both Putin and Trump for campaign PR; keeping in mind that 20%+ of Israel’s population are ethnic Russian.
The comment that “got” me was Michael Taylor on submarines and rare earths.
If it it’s the case, do we get our money back from the USA?