Many have asked in recent days what Trump will say to Prime Minister Netanyahu and what Netanyahu will say to Trump. But the truth is, the answer to the question of whether a deal will happen is not in Washington, nor in Jerusalem; it’s in Gaza and Doha.
The deal looks like Israel's dream deal. Hamas would release all the hostages in the early days of the deal, Israel would not exit the Gaza Strip until Arab countries enter the territory, and Hamas would be fully disarmed.
So, many have wondered what the chances are that Hamas will agree to these terms.
The answer to whether there will be a deal currently depends on Hamas.
Some analysts have estimated that Hamas would not agree to a deal without a clear timeline for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. These analysts believe it’s hard to imagine Hamas agreeing to release the hostages (the "cash" payment) in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal (the "credit" payment) that may happen in the future.
However, there is one factor that can apply significant pressure on Hamas like never before: Qatar.
During a meeting on Tuesday between President Trump and Arab leaders, Qatar, which hosts senior Hamas leadership, promised that it could get Hamas to say "yes" to a deal that would include the release of all hostages and disarmament.
The reward for Hamas's "yes" could play a significant role in what is referred to as "the post-war phase." For example, the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip; a task that Egypt is interested in taking on.
Will history repeat itself?
Over the past year, there have been several moments when even the mediators, Egypt and Qatar, thought Hamas would say "yes" to a deal.
Ultimately, these estimates were proven wrong.
This time, however, many believe the outcome could be different. Now, once again, the world waits, for the umpteenth time, to see what Hamas will say.