The Trump administration has tabled a 21-point peace plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza, according to sources familiar with the proposal. The blueprint seeks to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas within 48 hours of an agreement and outlines a roadmap for Gaza’s governance once the conflict concludes.
President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Friday, stating that negotiators are “very close” to a deal, following four days of intense talks with regional partners. The proposal was presented to Arab states at the United Nations General Assembly, where Trump also met leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Turkey, and Pakistan—a meeting he called his “most important of the day.”
Key Elements of the Peace Plan
- Hostage Release & Israeli Withdrawal: The release of roughly 20 surviving hostages in exchange for a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops.
- Governance Structure: Hamas would be barred from future leadership in Gaza. Instead, an international body and a Palestinian committee would manage interim governance.
- Future Authority: No set timeline exists for transferring control to the Palestinian Authority (PA), whose role Israel firmly rejects.
- Humanitarian Safeguards: The plan rules out the forced displacement of Gaza’s population, countering earlier ideas of relocating Palestinians outside the territory.
- Regional Security: The proposal reportedly includes a clause prohibiting Israel from attacking Qatar again, following airstrikes earlier this month.
Political Obstacles
The plan poses challenges for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reiterated Friday that the war will continue until Hamas is destroyed. Members of his far-right coalition oppose any recognition of Palestinian statehood and have threatened to collapse the government if military operations end prematurely.
Meanwhile, a Hamas official told CNN that the group has not yet received the new proposal. Any future communication is expected to come via Qatar, where what remains of Hamas’ negotiating team is based.
Regional and Global Stakes
Trump has framed the proposal as a pathway to “permanent and long-lasting peace.” However, uncertainty remains over how Israel, Hamas, and the wider region will respond. With Netanyahu scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Monday, the coming days may prove decisive in determining whether the plan gains traction or falters amid ongoing fighting.
For now, Israeli military operations continue, with reports indicating that 700,000 people have fled Gaza City under evacuation orders as Israeli forces tighten their control over the territory’s largest urban center.
