Nobel Peace Prize announcement: What are Trump's motives behind Gaza ceasefire plan?

Report by Yara Dargham, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

U.S. President Donald Trump, who began his second term by waging trade wars with much of the world, has now positioned himself as a peacemaker—this time through Gaza. 

With the ceasefire he brokered coming just days before the Nobel Peace Prize announcement, questions are swirling about his true motives: coincidence, or calculated diplomacy driven by prize ambitions?

After two years of U.S.-backed warfare in Gaza, the order to halt fighting was issued under Trump's mediation. The timing, just ahead of the Nobel announcement, sparked speculation that the move was part of a broader strategy to secure global recognition.

Trump, who has long viewed himself as a perennial candidate for high honors, hailed the agreement in a post on his Truth Social platform: "This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!"

What are the official conditions to qualify?

Traditionally, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to those who achieve tangible peace, promote reconciliation among nations, actively reduce the use of military force, or hold peace conferences, and not merely theoretical intentions.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee finalized its decision earlier this month, confirming that its choice had been made before the ceasefire announcement.

Still, Trump insists his exclusion would be unjust, claiming, "Being denied the Nobel is an insult to America."

Whether or not the Nobel Committee sees his Gaza initiative as worthy of recognition, Trump's latest maneuver underscores his enduring quest for validation—and his belief that diplomacy, like politics, is another arena for winning.