“President Trump is at the brink of the biggest diplomatic accomplishment of his second term — a cessation of the brutal war between Israel and Hamas — and on Wednesday evening he made clear he was eager to fly to the Middle East to preside over a cease-fire and welcome hostages who have spent two long years in underground captivity,” the New York Times reports.

“For Mr. Trump, success in this venture is the ultimate test of his self-described goal as a deal maker and a peacemaker — and a pathway to the Nobel Peace Prize he has so openly coveted. By chance, the winner for 2025 is scheduled to be announced just hours before he may be departing to take his victory lap in Egypt and Israel.”

Playbook: “This is only phase one of the deal. Enormously complex negotiations lie ahead to make this agreement permanent — not least over the decommissioning of Hamas’ arsenal; the future governance and reconstruction of the Gaza strip; and Israel’s future activities in the West Bank. To repeat: It’s still very possible it all falls apart.”

Washington Post: Trump wants a Nobel Prize. He’ll learn Friday if his campaign paid off.

“After months of deadlock, Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a long-awaited breakthrough that could point toward an end to the two-year war in Gaza,” the New York Times reports.

“President Trump, who helped broker the deal, said on social media Wednesday that both sides had agreed to the first phase of his plan, including that Israel would pull back their troops to an agreed-upon line.”

Washington Post: Trump announces ceasefire deal to begin ending the war in Gaza.