Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conditionally approved the 21-point peace plan developed by Donald Trump's team. In a joint appearance, the U.S. president announced this, pending Hamas' response, as the group has been vehemently rejecting some elements for months.
"This is a very important day, a beautiful day, potentially one of the best days in the history of civilization after the things that have been happening for hundreds and thousands of years. I believe that at the very least we are close, very close [to peace]. And I want to thank 'Bibi' for his great effort. Today is a historic day for peace," said Trump from the White House. Not only in Palestine, he claims, but for an "eternal peace in the Middle East."
"Mr. President, you have shown time and time again what I have said many times: you are the best friend Israel has had in the White House. Your leadership abroad is changing the world for the better, ending wars, and promoting peace. I believe that today we are taking a crucial step both to end the war in Gaza and to lay the groundwork for a drastic advancement of peace in the Middle East. I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which fulfills our war objectives: bringing back the hostages, dismantling Hamas' military capabilities, and ensuring that Gaza never again poses a threat to us," said the Israeli Prime Minister. However, he warned that if Hamas rejects the plan, Israel will take action. "If they reject your plan, Mr. President, or if they supposedly accept it and then do everything possible to counteract it, Israel will finish the job on its own. This can be done peacefully or by force," he warned.
Minutes before the press conference, Trump's team distributed the details of the plan, with some confusing and contradictory elements, even if there are issues in the implementation, and it does not even set a timetable or exact requirements for Israel's complete withdrawal, contemplating a security zone along the border. But the president, speaking for almost half an hour, practically forced his friend to accept the conditions that he has been rejecting for over a year with all kinds of tactics. By putting himself at the head of the committee that will oversee the situation, he also removes arguments for resistance or denying credibility and commitment.
The text, the most elaborate in a long time, begins with a declaration: "Gaza will be a terrorism-free and deradicalized zone that will not pose a threat to its neighbors" and will be "rebuilt for the benefit of its population, which has already suffered more than enough". The Washington text stipulates that "if both parties accept this proposal, the war will end immediately, and Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed line to prepare for the release of hostages. During this time, all military operations will be suspended, including airstrikes and artillery bombardments, and the battle lines will remain frozen until the conditions for complete and gradual withdrawal are met." Likewise, "within 72 hours of Israel's public acceptance of this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned."
In exchange, Israel will release 250 prisoners serving life sentences, in addition to 1,700 Gazans detained after October 7, 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. "For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence and disarmament will receive amnesty. Hamas members wishing to leave Gaza will receive safe passage to receiving countries," says the statement, which implies that after accepting this agreement, "all aid will be immediately sent to the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, the amount of aid will be in line with what was stipulated in the January 19, 2025 agreement on humanitarian aid, including infrastructure rehabilitation (water, electricity, sewage), hospital and bakery rehabilitation, and the entry of necessary equipment to remove debris and open roads."
Trump's proposal states that "Gaza will be governed by a technocratic and apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for the daily management of public services and municipalities for the population. This committee will be composed of qualified Palestinians and international experts, under the supervision of a new international transitional body, the "peace board", which will be led by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of state to be announced, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will establish the framework and manage the funding for the reconstruction of Gaza until the Palestinian Authority completes its reform program, as described in various proposals, including President Trump's 2020 peace plan and the Franco-Saudi proposal, and can safely and effectively regain control of Gaza."
The almost sole topic of the meeting in Washington has been that peace plan. The proposal, which was outlined to various Arab and Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last week in New York, involves an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the surrender of Hamas weapons, details on governance of the Strip after the war, and various security and reconstruction agreements, to be funded by the Arab world and the international community.
In addition to Israel's commitment not to attack anyone in Qatar again (Trump forced Netanyahu during the meeting to speak with the Qatari prime minister, acknowledge that they had violated their sovereignty, and promise that it would not happen again), the plan does not make references to Israel not annexing parts of the West Bank, but Trump stated last Friday that "he will not allow it" and that this option is unacceptable, but it is still unclear whether that will be the only guarantee, if it is just a vague promise, or if there will be something to make it more official.
On Sunday, Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met with Netanyahu for several hours at his hotel in Washington to refine the plan details. "'Bibi' cannot say no, refuse, because it would anger Trump." However, between saying yes and translating that into a new reality, there is a huge gap. An agreement of this nature requires a lot of work and constant pressure, and there are dozens of aspects up in the air that could make everything fall apart. One thing is the faster and simpler part, which is the release of hostages and stopping the bombings, and another is governance, reconstruction, and relationships over the coming years.
Throughout the past decades, the U.S. has always played a mediating role in the region. From the Camp David Accords in the late 1970s to achieve peace between Egypt and Israel to the failed agreements, of the same name, between Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat two decades later, with Bill Clinton as a mediator. All attempts failed, some due to lack of willingness on one side or the other, or due to the ambiguous role of the U.S., a mediator that has always leaned towards one of the parties.
Now the same thing is happening. Communication between Washington and Tel Aviv is total, the harmony absolute. Trump has appointed an evangelical ambassador to Jerusalem who does not believe Palestine exists and who pressures local judges in their courts to close cases against Netanyahu. Meanwhile, the government did not even allow the Palestinian delegation to attend the UN, denying them visas.
So far, the ceasefire proposal has been somewhat well received by Arab leaders, but the main details need to be ironed out, and the real commitment of Netanyahu and his more radical ministers needs to be seen, as this peace plan would require immediate concessions from the Palestinians (on hostages, weapons, etc.) in exchange for future promises from the Israelis, and Hamas refuses to move forward and lose their leverage (the kidnapped and the bodies of the deceased in the last two years).
At the UN, Netanyahu made it very clear that they will never allow a Palestinian state. And on Sunday, in an interview on Fox, he reiterated that it is not enough for Hamas to exit the equation in Gaza, surrender their weapons, and disappear. He also warned that the role of the Palestinian Authority, led by Abu Mazen, is not acceptable to him. The text speaks vaguely about their role once a series of reforms have been completed. And from then on, an uncertain path, undefined in which "conditions could finally be met for a credible path to self-determination and the creation of a Palestinian state."
The United States wants to establish "an economic special zone with preferential tariffs and access rates that will be negotiated with the participating countries" immediately. Unlike what was hinted a few months ago, they emphasize that "no one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza. Hamas and other factions agree not to participate in the government of Gaza, neither directly nor indirectly, in any way. All military, terrorist, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapons production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. A process of demilitarization of Gaza will take place under the supervision of independent observers."
Point 15 states that "The United States will collaborate with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) that will be immediately deployed in Gaza. The ISF will train and support accredited Palestinian police forces in Gaza and consult with Jordan and Egypt, which have extensive experience in this area. This force will be the long-term solution for internal security. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure the border areas, along with the newly trained Palestinian police forces."
The proposal outlined by Witkoff to Arab leaders included the possibility of amnesty for Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence, and safeguards for those who wish to go into exile to leave the Strip. The United States wants to reassure the people of Gaza by stating that this Transitional Authority will be able to issue something similar to safe conducts, so that those who leave their land now have permission to return later. This holds enormous emotional weight in Palestine, which still claims the right of return for those expelled in 1948. There is also the plan by France and Saudi Arabia, with some common points, the same goal of removing Hamas from the equation, and an international force that can "protect humanitarian and reconstruction operations, and prevent the resurgence of armed groups."
"We have a real opportunity to achieve greatness in the Middle East. We all agree on something special, something unprecedented. We will make it happen," Trump had said this weekend in a post on his social media. On Friday, the president had been optimistic, but somewhat less specific: "I think we have an agreement on Gaza... It seems we have an agreement on Gaza... It will be an agreement that will bring back the hostages. It will be an agreement that will end the war. It will be peace," he stated.