The “day after” in the tragic war in Gaza might finally be approaching, as Israel, the United States and key Arab states discuss terms for what officials hope could be a lasting truce.

President Donald Trump signaled the new negotiating push last week when he posted that “Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War.” Hamas has not yet agreed, but Arab officials in touch with group leaders tell me it might soon.

A Gaza deal could open the door to a much broader peace agreement, Israeli and Arab officials tell me. The hope is to extend Trump’s 2020 Abraham Accords to more of the region. That might include normalization of Israeli relations with Saudi Arabia and a security pact with the new Syrian government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would need a broader political base to pursue such ambitious goals — and there is widespread speculation among political analysts in Israel that Netanyahu might soon call for elections.

Driving the new peace effort is a big idea: Trump and Netanyahu should seize the moment and broaden last month’s truce between Israel and Iran into a regional accord. “Trump can take this opportunity to widen the Iran ceasefire to Gaza and beyond,” a top UAE official told me this week. “How do we think big and imagine that this is a potential pivot point in history? Be bold. Go for the bigger prize.”

This think-big approach argues that the Middle East has reached an inflection point — after Israel’s military victories over Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran — and that it’s time to translate these gains into a new security architecture.

The first task is a more limited Gaza deal that would halt the fighting there and bring home Israeli hostages. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff has been working closely with Qatari and Egyptian contacts on a ceasefire agreement to break the logjam that has lasted since the previous one expired in March.

Israeli and American negotiators have discussed a package that could include these elements: a two-month truce, during which Hamas would release — without humiliating ceremonies — the 10 living hostages and 18 hostage bodies; a commitment by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to seek a permanent end to the war during the 60-day truce; possible exile of Hamas leadership to another country; and freedom for some Gaza Palestinians to seek work in other Arab countries.

If a lasting ceasefire can be reached, negotiators envision a new framework to govern Gaza. Details are sketchy, but sources close to the negotiations describe a gradual transition to governance by non-Hamas Palestinians backed by five key Arab countries: Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The security force would be drawn from at least some of these countries and supplemented by U.S. contractors. The United States might also provide logistical and command-and-control support from a base outside Gaza, probably in Egypt.

The UAE would also be a key player in the political transition, and it has recently discussed a detailed governance plan with Ron Dermer, a close adviser to Netanyahu, and American officials.

The UAE proposal, outlined for me by a top Emirati official, would start the “day after” with an invitation from the Palestinian Authority to partners in the transition process — such as Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and European nations. The partners would then “vet, recruit, train and equip new and dormant Palestinian security forces in the Gaza Strip who are not affiliated with Hamas,” the proposal recommends.

Arab and international partners would contribute money for Gaza humanitarian assistance and reconstruction through a dedicated trust. This mission would be supported by a U.N. resolution. The UAE plan also envisions a “reformed” Palestinian Authority, with what the proposal describes as a “new, credible, independent and empowered prime minister.” This might pave the way for a future Palestinian government that could eventually oversee Gaza and the West Bank.

Once the war ends, the scope of relief and reconstruction needed in Gaza will be overwhelming. A U.N. analysis of satellite images last September estimated 66% of all buildings had been damaged or destroyed. Some estimates are even higher. Trump has argued that Gazans should be allowed to leave this “demolition zone” to work in other countries during reconstruction. It’s hard to disagree, so long as any relocation is truly voluntary.

Trump talked during his first term of a “deal of the century” that would resolve the Palestinian problem and bring peace to the region. He still has that ambition — and he’s being encouraged by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, his three strongest Arab allies.

A transformed Middle East is a laudable but surpassingly difficult goal. Trump can start by ending the Gaza war and helping Arab partners create stable governance in that shattered strip of land. Beyond that, perhaps, lies a new pathway toward regional peace.

David Ignatius writes a twice-a-week foreign affairs column for The Washington Post. His latest novel is “Phantom Orbit.” He is on X: @ignatiuspost