Axios: Trump Wants Gaza Ceasefire Before Inauguration, Graham Says

Since Donald Trump won the 2024 election, the war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah has ended in a ceasefire. It turns out that Trump wants a Gaza ceasefire before the inauguration.

Axios:

“President-elect Trump wants to see a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza before he assumes office on Jan. 20, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told Axios in an interview. …

But Graham — who speaks with Trump frequently and advises him on foreign policy, especially on the Middle East — said Trump wants a deal to free the hostages and end the war as soon as possible, preferably before he takes office. …

Graham contended that Trump needs a deal in Gaza before he can focus on his key foreign policy objectives in the region, like Israel-Saudi normalization and a regional alliance against Iran. …”

Iran called off its retaliatory strike on Israel, threw Hamas under the bus and encouraged Hezbollah to reach a separate peace agreement with Israel. Iran wants to avoid a war.

New York Times:

“There are factors that work in Mr. Trump’s favor, however. Iran, which blessed the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, is trying to show the incoming Trump administration that it is again open to a negotiated deal over its nuclear program, diplomats and analysts say.

With its allies Hezbollah and Hamas badly damaged and its own air defenses shown to be vulnerable, Iran wants to avoid a direct military confrontation with Israel and obtain economic relief from punishing sanctions over its nuclear program, they say.

So Tehran has been eager to display a renewed willingness to bargain over its rapidly expanding nuclear enrichment, which is within weeks of being weapons-grade, before Mr. Trump enters office.

The Iranians, along with everyone else in the Middle East, are trying to appeal to Mr. Trump’s “deal-making ambitions,” said Sanam Vakil, Middle East director for Chatham House. They are showcasing their compliance in Lebanon and have re-engaged with the Europeans, dangling the potential for a new nuclear deal, she said. …”

What happened?

We were told for months by activists that Trump was going to start a war with Iran and that tens of thousands of White American soldiers were going to “die for Israel.”