THE NEXT GAZA CONUNDRUMOctober 16, 2025

Last Monday at Israel’s Knesset (parliament) in Jerusalem, President Trump hailed “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.” From his lips to God’s ears.

The return of the last 20 living hostages from Hamas captivity offered a joyous moment. The ceasefire is more than welcome. Actual peace? A conundrum.

Trump’s 20-point plan offers a pathway, and I salute him. But, the devil is in the details. Details are lacking. So, to my knowledge, is a heavyweight American diplomatic-intelligence-security-economic task force.

As to the first few points, Israel and Hamas signed off: Exchanging living and dead Israeli hostages for living and dead Palestinian prisoners. A ceasefire with the IDF withdrawing to positions surrounding Gaza’s interior. A full inflow of humanitarian aid.

Still, getting to peace involves disarming Hamas and stabilizing Gaza with an international security force. There’s also the matter of governance—assembling a team of technocrats under the banner of a revised Palestinian Authority free of corruption. And the cost of rebuilding Gaza. I’ve seen estimates of $70-$120 billion. Pledges of support alone won’t cut it.

Key question: Will all the nations who signed on to the agreement step up to the plate?

Don’t get me wrong. The 20-point plan represents a necessary beginning. But moving forward poses real challenges.

Disarming Hamas will be no piece of mtabbak (a crispy dough stuffed with crushed walnuts). Gaza still overflows with weaponry. An international security force not yet formed, Hamas remains free to both police the streets and kill at will. Hamas is executing Gazans it accuses of aiding Israel and killing members of opposition clans. No trials. Just a bullet to the head.

Trump seems to be okay with that. He told CNN on Wednesday, Hamas is “going in and clearing out the gangs, violent gangs.” Yet the day before, Trump said of Hamas, “If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently.”

Is Trump cozying up to Hamas while threatening it?

How will Hamas be disarmed peacefully? Because it reveres Donald Trump? If Hamas refuses? Trump told CNN that the IDF will go back into Gaza if he gives the word. What will Israel, abetted by the U.S., do that it hasn’t done over the past two years? 

The matter of hostages isn’t done, either.

As of today (Thursday), the remains of only nine of 28 dead hostages have been returned to Israel. The New York Times reported Hamas saying that it “committed to what was agreed upon and handed over everyone it had in terms of living captives and what it had in terms of bodies that it could recover.” But Hamas needs “special equipment” to find the rest of the remains.

Finally, when an attempt is made to create a revamped Palestinian Authority to take charge in Gaza, how will Benjamin Netanyahu respond? Will he resist? If so, will Israelis support him or force him to step down from the prime minister’s seat?

I’d like nothing better than to see Trump’s plan work—and Trump receive the Nobel Peace Prize for it. Unless America’s pending war with Venezuela blocks the prize.

I fear that given the combustible nature of the situation, a meaningful peace won’t be achieved in Trump’s—and my—lifetime. Oh, how I hope I’m wrong!

The post will take off next Friday and return on the 31st—yes, Halloween.

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My newest novel, RIDE THE TYGER, will be available soon.