Washington / Middle East — U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday announced agreement on a new 20-point peace proposal intended to end the war in Gaza. The plan — posted by the White House and circulated to regional mediators — calls for an immediate ceasefire tied to the swift return of hostages and envisions a temporary, technocratic administration for Gaza that would exclude Hamas from any future governing role.
Under the proposal, all hostages — living and deceased — are to be returned within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance of the deal. In return, Israel would halt military operations and free large numbers of Palestinian prisoners from its jails. The plan also sets specific formulas for exchanges of remains: for each Israeli victim’s remains returned, the plan envisages returning the remains of 15 Palestinians.
A central and contentious element of the proposal is the requirement that Hamas disarm. The document speaks of converting Gaza into a “demilitarized, terror-free” zone: tunnel networks and weapons-manufacturing sites would be destroyed, and Hamas would be barred from holding any governing or political role in the Strip, directly or indirectly.
To manage Gaza during the transition, the U.S. outline proposes a temporary technocratic Palestinian committee supervised by an international “Board of Peace.” The White House named former British prime minister Tony Blair as one of the international figures linked to the initiative and states that the Board would be headed by President Trump. The plan frames the governance model as apolitical and technocratic — a measure meant to reassure donors and manage reconstruction — but critics say it risks appearing externally imposed.
Trump hailed the initiative at a joint White House news conference as “a historic day for peace,” while warning that if Hamas refuses the terms it would face continuing pressure and that Israel would be backed to “finish the job.” Netanyahu likewise warned that Israel would act if the plan was rejected or not implemented. Both leaders made the release of hostages the immediate condition for halting the fighting.
Regional and international responses were mixed but generally supportive of efforts to end the bloodshed. The Palestinian Authority, through the official WAFA agency, welcomed what it called “sincere and determined” U.S. efforts to end the war and said it would work with Washington, regional states and partners to secure a comprehensive agreement that guarantees humanitarian access, an end to hostilities and releases of prisoners and hostages. France, Britain and several other governments publicly called for the plan to be finalized and urged Hamas to agree to terms that would end suffering in Gaza.
Hamas has not formally accepted the proposal. Diplomatic sources and reporting indicate that Qatari and Egyptian mediators have relayed the U.S. plan to Hamas in Doha for study; some Hamas figures have said they would consider any serious proposal that ends the war but insist on guarantees for Palestinian interests, a full Israeli withdrawal and protection of Gaza residents. Analysts warn that demanding disarmament and immediate political exclusion of Hamas will make rapid agreement difficult.
The plan promises a major international reconstruction effort for Gaza once both sides agree, including humanitarian corridors and economic redevelopment measures. It also leaves the door open — conditionally and in the longer term — to arrangements that could eventually lead toward Palestinian self-determination, but it does not set an immediate path to recognized statehood; any future political settlement, the document suggests, would follow stabilization and reforms. Observers say the details of implementation, who will fund reconstruction and how security will be guaranteed, remain the plan’s most fragile elements.
(Sources: Reuters, Associated Press, BBC, Al Jazeera, WAFA and The Guardian. The Guardian, Reuters, AP)