Neither has Hamas surrendered, nor has Netanyahu decided to play politics. Both are betting on the devil “in the details.” And it seems President Donald Trump has decided to force their hand, a move in keeping with his self-proclaimed talent for negotiation, a game he believes he masters best.
Hamas issued a statement of “approval” for Trump’s proposal after his threat and his ultimatum - expiring Sunday evening at 6 p.m. Washington time - to either comply or “face the gates of hell.” The group’s response, however, was of the “yes, but” variety. A blend of “yes” and “no.”
Netanyahu did the same, announcing a review of his position in light of Trump’s plan. The US president, sensing an opening, seized the moment, declaring Hamas’s response a “yes” and urging Netanyahu to accept as well. With that, Trump began pressing both sides to implement his proposal for a ceasefire and launch a path toward peace.
The US administration does hold real leverage if it chooses to stop the war and push a peace process, not necessarily one that aligns with everyone’s expectations, but one that could grant Palestinians and the wider region what matters most: adoption of the Saudi-French “two-state solution” initiative.
Trump acted as he did - declaring Hamas’s acceptance - because he knows neither Hamas nor Netanyahu wants a confrontation with him now. Trump, ever the showman, is eying the Nobel Peace Prize, casting himself as Gaza’s new chairman of the board, and giving himself three years to deliver results.
For now, Hamas appears closer to Netanyahu in mindset: openly hostile yet wary of clashing with the “armored” Trump, the dangerous force neither side dares to defy. To both, Trump is now bigger than a storm.
Netanyahu, too, is thinking to say “yes” and “no” at the same time, maneuvering around Trump’s initiative in search of a narrative that grants him full victory and political survival, transforming him from a pariah at home and abroad into a man of peace.
Hamas wants the same: to rehabilitate its image. And so, it’s returned to a familiar Palestinian tactic once mastered by Yasser Arafat - the game of, saying yes and no at once, counting, as always, on the devil in the details.
The question now: Did President Trump misread Hamas’s response as a genuine desire for peace? And have world leaders been too quick to celebrate Hamas’s “acceptance” under Trump’s interpretation?
I don’t think so. Trump’s move was a calculated play. He cherry-picked what he wanted from Hamas’s response and used it to box Netanyahu in, serving his own agenda and advancing his proposal. He did so knowing he’s the only one capable of restraining Netanyahu and that Hamas, for now, has no real options.
Trump also acted with the backing of Arab and Muslim states, and under the umbrella of the Saudi-French two-state plan - support driven by solidarity with the people of Gaza, not with Hamas itself.
Even the group’s allies, Türkiye and Qatar, have reportedly agreed to Trump’s terms that exclude Hamas from Gaza’s future.
So, should we be optimistic? My conviction: optimism about the Palestinian issue is reckless. What’s needed now is neither optimism nor despair, but steadfast support for President Trump’s position, for the Palestinian Authority, and vigilance against the devil in the details - the very one Hamas and Netanyahu continue to rely on.
