Hamas faces rising pressure after Trump’s Gaza peace plan
Hamas is under growing pressure after US president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled their 20-point Gaza peace plan in Washington.
For much of this year, the Palestinian extremist group saw international criticism of Israel’s campaign in Gaza grow. It hoped that that would strengthen its bargaining position. However, that momentum has now been undone. Trump not only offered Israel unconditional backing if Hamas rejects the plan, but also rallied support from Europe and key Arab states.
The proposal was agreed with Israel and welcomed by Europe, the United States and key Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey. The rare consensus includes countries traditionally sympathetic to Hamas, which is deepening the group’s isolation.
Hamas, however, was excluded from the talks and only saw the text after its publication. A spokesperson said it would examine the plan “in good faith”. Yet the document demands full disarmament and strips Hamas of any role in Gaza’s future administration. At the same time, it only offers amnesty for fighters who surrender. The promise of Palestinian statehood, long a central demand, is mentioned only vaguely as a distant aspiration.
According to Palestinian sources, Hamas has begun a series of internal consultations among its political and military leadership, both in Gaza and abroad. The talks could take several days, particularly as communication remains difficult following recent Israeli strikes in Doha. For now, the movement is weighing its response. But the time and space for manoeuvre appear increasingly limited.
People carry humanitarian aid packages in Nuseirat in central Gaza Strip © Eyad BABA / AFP