WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday announced a 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, but it remains unclear whether Hamas will accept the terms.
The proposal, drafted in coordination with Israeli and Palestinian officials, calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages held by Hamas within 72 hours, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the creation of a transitional governing authority overseen by an international body. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been floated as a potential figure in the administration, though the Palestinian Authority (PA) would be expected to assume a central role after internal reforms and elections.
Trump and Netanyahu described the plan as a “historic breakthrough,” warning Hamas that failure to comply would prompt Israel to continue its offensive with U.S. backing. “This can be done the easy way or the hard way, but it will be done,” Netanyahu said.
The Palestinian Authority welcomed the initiative, praising what it called Trump’s “sincere and determined efforts” while committing to work with international partners toward a two-state solution. Arab states including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE and Qatar also signaled cautious support.
Hamas, however, was not directly consulted ahead of the announcement. A senior Hamas official told Reuters the group had not received the plan when it was unveiled, though mediators from Qatar and Egypt later presented the terms. Islamic Jihad, an Iran-backed faction allied with Hamas, rejected the proposal as “a recipe to blow up the region.”
The plan comes amid one of Israel’s heaviest offensives of the conflict, with tanks pushing deeper into Gaza City. Health authorities in the enclave say more than 65,000 people have been killed since the war began on October 7, 2023.
Trump’s proposal also includes a long-term reconstruction effort — branded as an “economic development plan” — aimed at transforming Gaza with international investment. “No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return,” the draft states.
Despite support from the PA and several regional governments, the absence of Hamas from the negotiating table has raised doubts over whether the plan can achieve a durable ceasefire or lasting political settlement.
