Frontlines: End of war comes down to Hamas

NewsNation National Correspondent Robert Sherman has found himself on the frontlines of some of the world's biggest stories: from Ukraine to Israel and across the U.S. He shares what he's seeing on the ground.

End of war in Gaza comes down to Hamas

Greetings from Tel Aviv.

The sun has risen in the Middle East, and it feels as though we are at a watershed moment.

In a highly anticipated meeting Monday at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as a Qatari delegation, President Donald Trump announced a comprehensive 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza.

If accepted, the deal would end the fighting, release all the Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and set up temporary governance in Gaza overseen by a "Board of Peace" headed by Trump. Hamas members could either leave the enclave or be granted amnesty if they agree to coexistence. Hamas ruling Gaza is off the table.

Palestinian government welcomes Trump's plan to end Israel-Hamas war >

To this point, it has been the Israeli position that fighting would continue until it achieves the objectives of the war. Notably, the prime minister said point-blank the deal would achieve such aims.

"I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war aims," Netanyahu said. "It will bring back to Israel all our hostages, dismantle Hamas' military capabilities, end its political rule, and ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel."

Americans, Israelis and Qataris are all on board. It now comes down to Hamas.

In our conversations with hostage families this morning, they were skeptical but optimistic — more optimistic than they have been, which is saying something, considering they have seen countless deals come close to fruition, only to fizzle in the eleventh hour.

"It's hard to ignore how many people are excited right now about what happened," said Gal Gilboa-Dalal, whose brother Guy is currently being held inside Gaza. "I feel that the energies are kind of different this time, and we try to keep ourselves realistic and wait for Hamas' response before we can really celebrate."

But by that same token, the message from the White House is one of "take it or leave it." If Hamas does not agree to a deal, Israel has a green light to proceed with the war.

"Bibi, you have our full backing to do what you would have to do," the president told Netanyahu.

Such a prospect has hostage families on edge, for fear of their loved ones.

"We understand in this time period we have to get to a deal, otherwise this war will never end," said Gilboa-Dalal.

Qatar plays a significant role in all of this, serving as the primary mediator that conveys the position of Hamas. While it has historically shown low optimism through many of these negotiations, it struck a positive tone.

Read more: Trump's 20-point proposal for peace in Gaza Strip, ending Israel-Hamas war >

"The ministers affirm their readiness to engage positively and constructively with the United States and the parties toward finalizing the agreement and ensuring its implementation, in a manner that ensures peace, security, and stability for the peoples of the region," Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Trump is hoping peace in Gaza can be expanded around the region. Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia are some of the nations in the region that the U.S. is hoping will one day open up diplomatic ties with Israel.

But all of that comes down to a "yes" from Hamas. And as we all know, "close" and "almost" don't cut it in war.

Once more, I'd like to write and say thank you for all your support regarding my first book, "Lessons From the Front." It is set to hit shelves Dec. 11, and I'll have some wonderful, humbling endorsements to share soon. For those still interested in preordering, you can do so through Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Bloomsbury.