WASHINGTON– U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday unveiled a sweeping 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the nearly two-year-old Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The announcement came during Trump’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
Trump said the proposal offers Hamas a path to end the conflict, secure the release of hostages, and begin rebuilding Gaza. “Now it’s time for Hamas to accept the terms of the plan that we’ve put forward today. I’m hearing Hamas wants to get this done,” Trump told reporters. He warned, however, that if Hamas rejects the plan, “Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas.”
Netanyahu endorsed the plan, saying it fulfilled Israel’s “war aims” but reiterated that Israel was prepared to act decisively if Hamas refused. “It can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way,” he said.
The plan outlines the creation of a temporary technocratic government in Gaza, with Israel pledging not to annex the territory and ensuring that no residents are displaced. If accepted, the war would end immediately and all hostages — both alive and deceased — would be returned within 72 hours.
Governance of Gaza would be overseen by an international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” chaired by Trump and including figures such as former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. This group would coordinate funding and redevelopment until the Palestinian Authority completes reforms to assume control.
Hamas members who renounce violence would be granted amnesty, while others would be offered safe passage abroad. Security in Gaza would be managed by regional and international forces, who would also train Palestinian police. Humanitarian aid would be delivered at agreed levels, and the U.S. would facilitate broader dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians to promote long-term coexistence.
Earlier Monday, Riyad Mansour, head of the Palestine Mission to the United Nations, expressed the Palestinian Authority’s willingness to work with Trump’s administration and international partners. “We reiterate Palestine’s readiness to work with President Trump and the U.S. administration … with the entire international community,” he told the U.N. Security Council.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Nearly two years later, about 48 hostages are still unaccounted for, with roughly 20 believed to be alive. Pressure has mounted on Israel to end the war, as more than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed and much of Gaza lies in ruins. (Source: IANS)
