President Trump took a victory lap on Israel and Hamas agreeing to implement the first phase of his 20-point peace plan, but questions remain about what happens after.
President Donald Trump, on the cusp of a major diplomatic achievement months in the making, took a victory lap Thursday on the agreement between Israel and Hamas to implement the first phase of his 20-point peace plan.
«Last night, we reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East, something that people said was never going to be done», Trump said as he convened his Cabinet for a meeting at the White House.
According to the president, all the remaining Israeli hostages will be released Monday or Tuesday. Trump also said he plans to travel to the region soon for a signing ceremony and to potentially speak at the Knesset in Israel.
«I think it’s going to be a lasting peace, hopefully an everlasting peace», he said.
But Trump didn’t provide much detail about what happens next, including thornier issues such as what a postwar Gaza will look like for Palestinians or what guarantees are in place to ensure Hamas disarms and Israel does not pick back up its bombing campaign.
Trump said his first priority was getting the hostages back.
«After that, we’ll see», he Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce while taking reporter questions at the Cabinet meeting.
