Remember the run-up to Inauguration Day in the US, when Donald Trump's envoy twisted arms to push a Gaza ceasefire over the line? How did we so quickly go to Trump not only doubling down on his plan to forcibly deport the entire Palestinian population of Gaza, but also telling visitors like the king of Jordan to take them in? We ask about the plan, the pushback to the plan and the whether that ultimatum to Hamas to free all its hostages by Saturday noon signals a return to all-out war. Israeli troops are certainly preparing.

More broadly, how much does Trump want to own this conflict? After all, this is a US president known for campaigning against forever wars. Already it seemed like Bashar al-Assad’s fall in Syria might signify a once-in-a-generation reshaping of the region's balance of power.

But now, what to make of the Trump factor?

Produced by Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Elisa Amiri, Ilayda Habip.