May 13— President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on the first leg of a three-Arab-nation tour, and the press has already reported that he has secured more than $600 billion in trade deals for U.S. companies, many of whose leaders accompanied him to Riyadh. While in the "Trumpverse" such deals demonstrate the success of his deal-based foreign policy and economic strategy—and provide jobs and prosperity for Americans—sources report that Trump boarded Air Force One determined to end Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu's slaughter of mostly innocent Palestinians in Gaza and block his stated intention to escalate the slaughter in a new all-out offensive.

Netanyahu had announced yesterday, according to Haaretz, that Israel was committed to expanding combat operations in Gaza "in the coming days" in order to "subdue Hamas." He said that even if Hamas announced that it was willing to release more hostages, Israel would "receive them and then go in." He ruled out a ceasefire, saying, "There will not be a situation where we stop the war." Bibi and his spokespeople claimed that yesterday's release by Hamas of the last living American hostage, Israel Defense Force member Edan Alexander, was the result of the recent renewed military pressure and the fear of the new offensive, which some of Bibi's opponents have called his "final solution"—not merely toward Hamas but toward all Gazans.

But this ignores the reality of what is really taking place. The release of Alexander was worked through in direct discussions with Hamas and Arab mediators—discussions that included Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and occurred without any Israeli knowledge or involvement. The Israelis were informed only after the deal was struck.

Hamas said in a statement on May 12 that Alexander's release was "the result of serious contacts with the American administration and the efforts of mediators," rejecting Israeli claims that military pressure was a factor." Edan Alexander's return confirms that serious negotiations and a hostage deal are the way to return the prisoners and stop the war," Hamas said.

Sources close to the White House say similar negotiations have been taking place without Israeli involvement on a new peace plan for Gaza, to be implemented immediately upon Israeli acceptance. 

"That plan is the Trump plan, and it starts with the full release of all living hostages, followed by the release of the bodies of the dead hostages," said a source. "The war is declared over, and a full and permanent ceasefire is put in place. Israel will implement a phased withdrawal of its forces. Hamas has agreed to lay down their arms and become a political organization. The arms will be held by Egypt. Meanwhile, a new government in Gaza will be set up under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority, and the U.S. will back the Egyptian plan for reconstruction and redevelopment that does not force the removal of any Gazans. All of this has been prenegotiated without direct involvement of Israel, including Bibi's hatchet man in previous talks, Security Minister Ron Dermer."

Bibi brought this on himself with his refusal to work with several proposals put forward by Witkoff, who came to understand that Netanyahu does not want to stop the war but to kill more people. "This is Trump's view of Bibi," said the source, "and it is not going to change."

Trump flies to Doha tomorrow morning. The Trump Plan to end the war in Gaza and bring home all the hostages will be presented by Witkoff and the Arab mediators to all parties. Bibi had originally not planned to send an Israeli delegation, but Witkoff ordered him to do so, and he relented.

Haaretz correspondent Chaim Levinson reports that the negotiations are intended to be brief. "One side has already accepted the deal, and the other side, Israel, has no choice but to accept or suffer the consequences of a sharp rebuke from Trump."

"Trump hopes to stand alongside the Qatari emir on Wednesday in Doha and announce the release of the hostages and an end to the war. If that does not happen, he is expected to issue a public statement outlining the American vision for ending the conflict and pointing fingers at whoever obstructs it," writes Levinson.

"I can't understand what's happening here," the pro-Bibi pundit Shimon Riklin cried out at the start of his program on Channel 14. "This isn't the Witkoff framework. It's the Trump framework. The State of Israel is not involved. What's going on?"

"Indeed, there is no longer a Witkoff framework," writes Levinson. "There is a Trump framework. After three months of fruitless and directionless negotiations, we have reached the moment of decision. Netanyahu is left with two options. The first is to agree with the Americans and present it to the public as his own initiative, which he successfully sold to the Americans. The second is to agree with the Americans and market it as their idea, which he had no choice but to accept."

Several observers in the region noted that President Trump, in his statement May 11 on the release of Alexander, acknowledged that Hamas was acting in good faith toward the United States. More importantly, they noted that Trump, for the first time and without any equivocation, demanded "an end to the brutal conflict."

Witkoff, meeting May 12 with hostage families in Tel Aviv's "Hostage Square," used similar words and said the United States will take steps to free all the hostages and end "this senseless and brutal war."

There is only one side—or rather, only one significant leader—who wants to prolong the war: Bibi Netanyahu.

"The Trump administration very quickly reached the conclusion that Biden took so long to internalize," writes Haaretz columnist Yossi Verter on May 12. "Steve Witkoff is already briefing the families of the hostages that the war has no purpose and no chance, but Netanyahu is determined to continue fighting. And now, Donald, son of Fred Trump, the Messiah, has written that we must stop the 'very brutal war' in the Gaza Strip. This description applies to the Israeli hostages as far as he is concerned, but applies no less to the residents of Gaza."

Things will move quickly in Qatar. Israel made one last-ditch effort yesterday to blow process up by attempting to assassinate Hamas leader in Gaza Muhamed Sinwar, whom the IDF claimed was operating from a command center under the European Hospital in Khan Yunis. However, the attack only resulted in further destruction of the hospital and civilian casualties.