Trump, like any U.S. President, has leverage if he is willing to use it. American weapons— $18 billion in military aid in the form of scarce U.S. missile defense assets and American personnel in Israel to operate them, plus diplomatic cover at the U.N. —have enabled the war thus far.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians returned to the northern Gaza Strip this week after checkpoints were reopened in line with the ceasefire agreement. Many will have found their homes destroyed after months of heavy fighting and bombardment – something the new US president, Donald Trump, has pointed out.

Steve Witkoff visited the enclave to oversee the implementation of a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.