EditHistoric breakthrough? Trump secures Netanyahu’s agreement to a 20-point Gaza peace plan
The proposal envisions an international "board of peace" chaired by Trump and including former British PM Tony Blair
President Donald Trump announced on Monday (29 September) that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has endorsed a U.S.-sponsored 20-point peace proposal to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza, hailing it as a “historic day for peace” during a White House press conference.
The plan, which includes an immediate ceasefire, hostage exchanges, and a controversial international oversight board chaired by Trump himself, drew immediate praise from some allies but sharp rebukes from Palestinian militants and scepticism from analysts, raising doubts about its path forward without Hamas’s buy-in.
Flanked by Netanyahu in the State Dining Room, Trump declared the two leaders were “beyond very close” to sealing a deal for the war-torn enclave.
“Today is a historic day for peace in the Middle East,” Trump said, thanking Netanyahu “for agreeing to the plan and for trusting that if we work together, we can bring an end to the death and destruction that we’ve seen for so many years, decades, even centuries.”
He warned Hamas that rejection would invite Israel’s “full backing” from the U.S. to “do what you have to do,” echoing threats of escalated military action.
The White House unveiled the document ahead of the talks, outlining an immediate halt to hostilities, the release of all 48 remaining hostages – 20 believed alive, per Israeli figures – in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. It mandates Hamas’s full disarmament, the end of its political rule, and the establishment of a technocratic Palestinian committee for day-to-day governance, overseen by a new “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The proposal envisions Gaza as a “deradicalized, terror-free zone” with massive aid inflows for reconstruction – water, electricity, hospitals, and rubble removal – while leaving a vague path to Palestinian statehood contingent on reforms by the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Netanyahu, on his fourth White House visit since Trump’s January inauguration, framed the plan as aligning perfectly with Israel’s objectives. “I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war aims,” he said. “It will bring back to Israel all our hostages, dismantle Hamas’ military capabilities, end its political rule, and ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”
Yet, he distanced himself from elements like PA involvement or statehood prospects, insisting Gaza’s future administration exclude both Hamas and an unreformed PA.
A source close to the talks confirmed statehood remained a “main sticking point,” with Netanyahu vowing it would never happen.
The proposal, crafted by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s first-term adviser Jared Kushner, builds on U.N. General Assembly sidelines discussions with Arab and Muslim states last week. It prohibits forced population displacement and calls for Arab partners to help form a temporary stabilization force.
Trump, who campaigned on swiftly resolving the conflict, avoided questions but likened the effort to his past diplomatic wins, despite prior unfulfilled promises – like an August Alaska summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin that yielded no Ukraine ceasefire.
Hamas’s response remains pivotal, given its absence from direct talks and history of rejecting disarmament. The group, which ignited the war with its 7 October 2023, assault killing 1,200 Israelis and seizing 251 hostages, holds leverage through the captives. A Hamas official told Reuters the plan hadn’t been formally received beyond media leaks, but a mediator briefed on Qatar-Egypt channels said Hamas pledged to review it “in good faith” before responding.
Analysts are pessimistic: John Hannah, former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney’s Middle East adviser, predicted a qualified “yes, but…” or demands for major changes. Mahmoud Mardawi, a Hamas spokesperson, told Al Jazeera the group had yet to receive a written copy, calling initial reports “insufficient.”
Reactions poured in swiftly, revealing deep divisions. The Palestinian Authority welcomed Trump’s “sincere and determined efforts,” committing to collaborate for a comprehensive deal, per WAFA news agency. Eight Muslim-majority nations’ foreign ministers and the PA echoed this support, urging swift implementation.
In a statement released shortly after the White House press conference, French President Emmanuel Macron praised the proposal as a “welcome step toward ending the suffering in Gaza and securing the release of hostages,” aligning with his earlier calls for an immediate ceasefire and international involvement in postwar reconstruction. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez hailed the proposal as a step to “end so much suffering,” while European Council President Antonio Costa expressed encouragement at Netanyahu’s endorsement, stressing a two-state solution as the “only viable path” to lasting peace.
The UAE pressed Netanyahu to accept it fully during a U.N. sideline meeting, opposing West Bank annexation.
Palestinian militants were scathing. Islamic Jihad’s Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhalah branded the plan a “recipe for regional explosion” and an “American-Israeli agreement” enabling continued aggression.
In Israel, Netanyahu’s Likud allies embraced it as “peace through strength,” with ministers like Shlomo Karhi vowing “there will never be a Palestinian state.” Opposition leader Yair Lapid endorsed it as “the correct basis for a hostage deal and end of the war.”
Yet far-right coalition partners risk bolting if concessions seem excessive, amid polls showing a war-weary public and pressure from hostages’ families.
Experts urged caution. Council on Foreign Relations fellow Steven Cook noted an end “may be closer” but stressed Qatar must pressure Hamas, while Netanyahu sells it to his security cabinet.
With Reuters, edited by g.g.
Caption: US President Donald Trump (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) hold a joint press conference in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 29 September 2025. In their meeting, Trump pressed Netanyahu to accept a peace deal to end IsraelÕs on-going war in Gaza, and for Hamas to free their remaining hostages. EPA/JIM LO SCALZO / POOL
Updated: September 30, 2025 - 06:21
