here should be no doubt about who deserves the lion’s share of the credit for the cease-fire and release of hostages agreed to by Israel and Hamas. It was President Donald Trump’s tough talk that the hostages taken by Palestinian terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023, had to be released or “all hell” would be unleashed on the Middle East.

The deal was the first salvo in foreign policy from the new administration, taking place even before Trump took office. It did more than demonstrate the vast difference between Trump’s style and former President Joe Biden’s trademark ineffectual weakness. It gave the new president exactly the kind of Inauguration Day optics he wanted, allowing him to usher in his second term with a win in which he was both peacemaker and liberator of hostages.

But while Trump may bask in the applause his intervention in the negotiations generated, it is not quite the triumph that it is being depicted as.

Israelis and decent people everywhere are rejoicing at the freeing of three young women who have been held by Hamas for more than 15 months after Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists invaded 22 southern Israeli communities and a music festival, killing more than 1,000 Israelis. The hostages were held under terrible conditions and likely underwent unspeakable torment. And there will be similar joy if Hamas releases the 30 other hostages that are supposed to be freed in phase one of this deal.