If all goes according to the script, the first three stages of the Trump peace proposal will be enacted in the early part of this week. A ceasefire, temporary but hopefully to become permanent, has already taken effect. Limited aid has finally been allowed into Gaza. Hostages and detainees are now being released. What exists is a pause in hostilities, plus, in fairness, a clear determination among many actors, including US President Donald Trump and regional powers, to bring it all to an end. The position of Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition is ambivalent at best.

The first phase will include a ceasefire, a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of lifesaving aid

For Donald Trump’s hopes for lasting peace in Gaza, he should act as an independent broker and recognise Israel’s security and the Palestinian quest for self-determination