On catching up – Anshel Pfeffer in Haaretz:

‘Netanyahu is both petrified and deeply jealous of Trump. He yearns to both bask in and project presidential powers, portraying himself as the closest ally to the president. But at the same time, he has to come to terms with Trump's team taking control of the cease-fire negotiations – and with scant concern for Netanyahu's own calculations on the matter.
In the first weeks after Trump's election victory, when it became clear that the president-elect was insistent on achieving cease-fires in Lebanon and Gaza, Netanyahu's aides tried to downplay the hostage issue. One of them whispered to Trump that nearly all of the hostages were dead anyway. But Trump was getting more accurate information, and the campaigners for the hostages' release had their own channels to the incoming administration. Surprisingly, Trump latched on to their cause and saw liberating the Israeli hostages as a personal achievement. It became his issue.
Since the October 7 attack, Netanyahu had shied away from the hostage issue, seeing it as a political liability because of his far-right partners' fervent opposition to a hostage deal. Now he has been forced to change his attitude. If until a few weeks ago he had only rushed to have his photo taken with the handful of hostages freed in a special forces operation, in the last few days his office has been trying to find hostages released in the first stage of the cease-fire prepared to meet him or at least take a phone call.
The reason for the shift is clear: A delegation of returned hostages was preparing to meet with Trump in the White House. Netanyahu had to play catch-up.’

(…)

‘This is why Netanyahu was forced, in the space of two months – even before Trump was formally inaugurated – to accept cease-fires with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. The cease-fire agreements had been drafted with Biden's team, but it was the fear of even a whiff of discord with Trump that made Netanyahu accept them.
Netanyahu is not only afraid to disagree with Trump. He is scared Trump will see him as a weak leader. Which he is. Netanyahu has been at the mercy of his far-right and religious ministers since returning to office at the end of 2022. But while Trump doesn't factor in the vagaries of Israel's governing coalition system, what he does understand is someone going on trial.’ (…)

‘Now it is Trump who will decide if the second stage of the cease-fire in Gaza goes ahead, and Netanyahu will be powerless to do anything about it.’

Read the article here.

Netanyahu is Trump’s hostage, fair enough.
The question is, what will get Hamas out of direct negotiations with the US? A lot. Recognition. To begin with.

Gaza, a Singapore south of Tel Aviv? Forget it.

Just Hamas, perhaps they will give Trump some real estate projects to develop in return for a few hostages. And Hamas might be willing to rename Gaza City: Trump City.

Peace in Ukraine seems to be more reachable, anyhow the Nobel Peace Prize is still lingering over Trump’s head.

The question is whether Hamas and Putin will allow him this token of recognition.