WASHINGTON (AP) — Ever since Donald Trump returned to office, his attempts to make a name for himself as a historic peacemaker have been frustrated by the ceaseless Russian invasion of Ukraine and the persistent fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Now Trump is on the brink of a remarkable breakthrough in one of those conflicts. He's forged a deal that could end the Middle East bloodshed that began just over two years ago with Hamas' deadly attack on Israel and cost the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

If the pieces continue to fall into place — and that's far from certain in this combustible corner of the world — it would be a moment of vindication for a president derided by critics as a diplomatic bumbler more interested in personal prestige than international harmony.

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