An Olive Branch and a Sword: Inside Trump’s Gaza Peace Strategy

President Donald Trump’s strategy to end the Gaza war combines the offer of a diplomatic olive branch with the threat of a sword. This dual approach underpins a nearly-finalized deal that promises peace while demanding total compliance from Hamas.
The olive branch is the deal itself, which Trump has called “great for Israel.” It provides a clear path out of a two-year conflict through a negotiated settlement. It offers Hamas a way to de-escalate in exchange for a significant Israeli military pullback to the “yellow line,” a tangible concession.
The sword is Trump’s unambiguous ultimatum. He has warned Hamas that they will face “complete obliteration” if they renege on the deal or refuse to give up power in Gaza. This threat removes any incentive for the group to delay or cheat the terms of the agreement, creating a powerful enforcement mechanism.
This strategy appears to be working. According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the deal is “90 per cent done,” and Hamas has “basically” accepted the framework. The focus has now shifted from political negotiation to the practical logistics of the hostage release.
By presenting both a clear benefit for cooperation and a catastrophic cost for defiance, the Trump administration has engineered a situation where peace becomes the most rational choice for all parties. The success of this olive branch-and-sword strategy is now being tested in the final phase of talks.