Trump and Netanyahu present Gaza peace plan and warn Hamas to accept or face consequences

US president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu have announced a 20-point peace plan for Gaza. The proposal, unveiled on Monday at the White House, demands the disarmament of Hamas and sets strict conditions for a ceasefire. They warned that if Hamas refuses, Israel will have Washington’s full backing to continue military operations.

The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, followed within 72 hours by the release of all Israeli hostages, alive or dead. In return, Israel would free 1,950 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences.

Hamas fighters who surrender weapons would be granted amnesty, and the group would have to agree to play no role in governing Gaza in the future. 

“If Hamas rejects it, Israel has my full support to finish the job”

Gaza’s governance would be transferred to a temporary Board of Peace, chaired by Trump. Former British prime minister Tony Blair is also expected to join the body, which would oversee reconstruction and prepare the ground for eventual Palestinian self-rule. Israel would gradually withdraw its troops but maintain a buffer zone inside the enclave.

Netanyahu said the plan “achieves our war aims”. Trump said that “if Hamas rejects it, Israel has my full support to finish the job”. Hamas, however, said it had not been consulted and had yet to receive a written version of the plan.

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European leaders welcomed the US initiative. French president Emmanuel Macron called on Hamas to “immediately release all hostages and follow the plan”. German Foreign minister Johann Wadephul described it as “a chance that must not be wasted”. British prime minister Keir Starmer urged Hamas to end the violence by laying down arms.

Despite international backing, the plan leaves major questions unresolved, particularly regarding Palestinian statehood, which the text recognises only as a “long-term aspiration”. The future of the proposal now hinges on Hamas’s response.

^{US president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu © PHOTO ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP}

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