October 20, 2025

It has been a week since the Middle East’s Trump Day. With expected accusations of violations, the ceasefire is not an irreversible fact yet, and questions about the following phases and the long-term future remain. Still, the Gaza ceasefire is a positive development. As for the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, this was probably a frustrating experience for most attendees. Many of those leaders who shook hands with President Trump and then stood behind him to listen to his remarks for half an hour might have regretted being there, even if they received personal compliments. And Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s sycophantic comments about Mr. Trump’s leadership could have annoyed many in Pakistan.