Patrick Kingsley

present more or less the same deal to the Israeli public and in particular to his far-right allies as being less of a capitulation as it was once seen by parts of his coalition government. Because He and Israel are coming from a position of greater military strength. And the flip side is that Hamas is therefore weaker. Gaza is decimated.

present more or less the same deal to the Israeli public and in particular to his far-right allies as being less of a capitulation as it was once seen by parts of his coalition government. Because He and Israel are coming from a position of greater military strength. And the flip side is that Hamas is therefore weaker. Gaza is decimated.

Hamas's goal of setting off a kind of broader regional conflict that would substantially weaken Israel or perhaps even destroy it has come to nothing. And the going analysis is that this has made Hamas vulnerable. more willing to come to the table and agree to a deal that was on that table already for several months. And the third factor is the Trump factor.

Hamas's goal of setting off a kind of broader regional conflict that would substantially weaken Israel or perhaps even destroy it has come to nothing. And the going analysis is that this has made Hamas vulnerable. more willing to come to the table and agree to a deal that was on that table already for several months. And the third factor is the Trump factor.

It's the Biden administration in tandem with the Qatari government and the Egyptian government that has done most of the running in the negotiations, helping to draft the details of this agreement that has just been signed and cajoling the Israeli government for more than a year towards this agreement.

It's the Biden administration in tandem with the Qatari government and the Egyptian government that has done most of the running in the negotiations, helping to draft the details of this agreement that has just been signed and cajoling the Israeli government for more than a year towards this agreement.

But it seems to be the incoming Trump administration, President-elect Trump himself and his incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, that have applied the pressure that has been the straw that broke the camel's back. Steve Witkoff came to Israel last week, met with Netanyahu.

But it seems to be the incoming Trump administration, President-elect Trump himself and his incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, that have applied the pressure that has been the straw that broke the camel's back. Steve Witkoff came to Israel last week, met with Netanyahu.

Since that meeting, the negotiations have gone from advancing fairly slowly to suddenly getting to the point of a deal being reached. And it seems to be that Trump, who has said for months that he wants to see a deal by the time of his inauguration early next week, may have been the decisive factor in getting this deal over the line.

Since that meeting, the negotiations have gone from advancing fairly slowly to suddenly getting to the point of a deal being reached. And it seems to be that Trump, who has said for months that he wants to see a deal by the time of his inauguration early next week, may have been the decisive factor in getting this deal over the line.

We went inside the room, so we can't say for sure, but it's possible that it was some combination of carrot and stick. The stick being that Trump, who's an unpredictable actor, would be very angry if a deal wasn't reached. The carrot may be that the Trump administration will back Netanyahu if he decides to resume the war after six weeks.

We went inside the room, so we can't say for sure, but it's possible that it was some combination of carrot and stick. The stick being that Trump, who's an unpredictable actor, would be very angry if a deal wasn't reached. The carrot may be that the Trump administration will back Netanyahu if he decides to resume the war after six weeks.

That was less likely under President Biden, but it's seen as being potentially more likely under a Trump administration who might grant greater leeway to Israel in Gaza than President Biden. The reverse could also be true. Having helped to author this deal, the Trump administration may see its reputation as being tied to its success and may place more pressure on Netanyahu in several weeks.

That was less likely under President Biden, but it's seen as being potentially more likely under a Trump administration who might grant greater leeway to Israel in Gaza than President Biden. The reverse could also be true. Having helped to author this deal, the Trump administration may see its reputation as being tied to its success and may place more pressure on Netanyahu in several weeks.

And we await to see which of those two outcomes will be the case.

And we await to see which of those two outcomes will be the case.

That's been one of the more remarkable aspects of the recent days of negotiations. You've had representatives of two administrations that really don't see eye to eye and have very different visions of American democracy joining forces to get this deal over the line.

That's been one of the more remarkable aspects of the recent days of negotiations. You've had representatives of two administrations that really don't see eye to eye and have very different visions of American democracy joining forces to get this deal over the line.

The Biden administration that has led the way in drafting and wrangling over many of the details over so many months in these negotiations, it's Trump's Middle East envoy who appears to have played a major role in getting this deal suddenly over the line in recent days. So those are the mechanics of the deal. And we are left with questions about how exactly those mechanics will play out.

The Biden administration that has led the way in drafting and wrangling over many of the details over so many months in these negotiations, it's Trump's Middle East envoy who appears to have played a major role in getting this deal suddenly over the line in recent days. So those are the mechanics of the deal. And we are left with questions about how exactly those mechanics will play out.