A long way to go yet

US President Donald Trump's florid claims of bringing peace to the Middle East after thousands of years are obviously ridiculous.

- BY CHRIS HUGHES DEFENCE EDITOR

The region's security and peace does not pivot entirely around Gaza but also the West Bank and various other troubled spots such as Lebanon, Syria and Iraq.

Then there is Iran and how it will respond to any new-look peaceful Israel and Palestine - if Trump and Netanyahu actually pull it off.

In the days it will take to persuade Hamas to agree to the deal and the many years it will take to implement it, including rebuilding the Strip, anything could go wrong.

Hamas must give up everything. Power, weapons and money. Then they must either leave Gaza or bow to a peaceful future.