President-elect Donald Trump could be on the verge of winning his first foreign policy win in his second term–even before he takes office.
As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues in the Gaza Strip, the terrorist group has signaled that they are willing to give concessions during ceasefire discussions. This change of heart was reportedly prompted by the president-elect’s harsh rhetoric toward Hamas, particularly related to American hostages that the organization still holds.
A senior Biden administration official (who spoke anonymously) acknowledged the role Trump played in the negotiations. “Trump’s warning that he wants to see a deal before he takes office was ‘a big factor’ in recent concessions,” the individual told NBC News.
Hamas has reportedly agreed to allow Israeli forces to remain in Gaza temporarily after the conflict is concluded. It also provided a list of hostages they still have in their custody, including American citizens. This marks the first, significant progress toward a ceasefire agreement since the war began on October 7, 2023.
These concessions come after months of deadlock. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan noted that the terrorist group “was waiting for lots of other actors and forces to come to their rescue…we had a different character to the negotiation, and we believe that it puts us in a position to be able to close this negotiation,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
Earlier in December, Trump wrote a post on Truth Social, issuing a scathing threat to Hamas about the hostages:
“Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire world, in the Middle East — but it’s all talk, and no action! If the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against humanity.”
Hamas has not yet confirmed reports that the group is agreeing to concessions. Basem Naim, a member of the organization’s political faction, told NBC News that he was “not aware that the group had recently made concessions during negotiations.”
Yet, Arab mediators told The Wall Street Journal that the terrorist group provided the hostage list during talks.
Sullivan indicated that the White House is collaborating closely with the incoming Trump administration on the matter.
“We talk to them about how we can send a common message that the United States, no matter who’s sitting in the Oval Office, no matter whose party is in charge, wants to see this ceasefire and hostage deal and see it now,” he said.
This development appears to have created a cautious optimism among White House officials. While the negotiations have not yet been concluded, it is possible that Israel and Hamas might be the closest they have been to a ceasefire deal so far.
Even with this progress, there are still deep disagreements, especially as it pertains to the duration of the ceasefire, how long Israeli troops can remain in Gaza, and the detail surrounding future exchanges of prisoners for hostages.
Still, if the reports are accurate, Trump’s entry into the matter may have considerably influenced the eventual outcome, which would be quite a feat given that he is not yet president.
