Like many of his predecessors, Donald Trump is trying to broker peace in a part of the world that has not known peace or stability for decades. As part of phase 1 of Trump's ambitious Gaza peace plan, signed on Monday, Hamas released 20 surviving hostages, while Israel freed 1,968 Palestinians imprisoned over the past 2 yrs. World leaders gathered in Egypt to finalise the framework for the US-brokered peace blueprint. The world has been here before - hopeful beginnings that somehow unravel, often under the weight of old grudges and new ambitions.

The real heavy lifting of building peace in a land laid bare by untold suffering is yet to begin. That will be the true test of Trump's plan. The 'strong, durable and everlasting peace' that Trump promised in Egypt is still a distant dream. The second phase - on guaranteeing stability, security and reconstruction in the devastated Gaza Strip - remains frustratingly vague. The absence of a clear roadmap, the continued presence of Israeli-backed militias such as Yasser Abu Shabab's Popular Forces, and the daily struggle of ordinary Palestinians for even basic necessities could create fertile ground for Hamas to reassert control. Even more puzzling is Washington's apparent willingness to let Hamas operate to prevent 'big crimes' or unrest in areas 'literally demolished'. Unless these contradictions are addressed, Gaza - already awash in weapons and simmering resentment - could descend into further chaos, perhaps even civil war, with Hamas seeking to prove that there can be no stability without it.

Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu have achieved what they wanted: the return of hostages, the decimation of the Palestinian population, and the sidelining of far-right coalition partners. Now, it is the Palestinians' turn. The leaders who met in the Red Sea resort must stop congratulating themselves and ensure that this plan truly delivers for Gaza and its people. Without a clear, credible future for them, there can be no 'everlasting peace'.