As President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel prepare to meet at the White House on Monday, several new proposals to end the fighting in Gaza and govern the territory are under discussion.
This year’s U.N. General Assembly was dominated by intense debate about the conflict and the future of the embattled territory. At the end of the sessions last week, President Trump sounded optimistic about reaching a deal to end the war.
However, similar pronouncements have been made before, and any effort to stop the fighting still faces significant obstacles. Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas remain at odds over a number of central points, and fighting has intensified in recent weeks with an Israeli ground offensive to take over Gaza City.
Speaking at the United Nations on Friday, Mr. Netanyahu sounded determined to press ahead with the Gaza City campaign. Hamas stated on Sunday that it had not received any new proposals from the mediators, indicating that negotiations are at a standstill.
Below are some of the latest plans circulating to end the war, establish a new system of postwar governance, and address the devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Trump Plan
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy for peace missions, outlined the broad framework of an American peace plan in a meeting with leaders from Arab and Muslim-majority countries at the U.N. last week.
Under this plan, Hamas would agree to return all living hostages and the remains of former captives within 48 hours of the agreement, according to an Arab official and another person familiar with the sensitive discussions. Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence with Israel would be granted amnesty under this proposal, and those wishing to leave would be guaranteed safe passage out of Gaza. The Times of Israel previously reported on these elements of the proposal.
The American proposal also includes a commitment from both sides to initiate a new dialogue on peaceful coexistence, along with a pledge that Israel will not launch further attacks on Qatar, as per a senior White House official.
Qatar, a vital U.S. ally, has played a central role as a mediator in negotiations to end the Gaza war, working alongside Egypt. Israel launched airstrikes on the Qatari capital, Doha, on September 9th in a failed attempt to assassinate a group of Hamas officials — an action that significantly angered U.S. officials.
Ultimately, whether Mr. Trump can bring the war to an end will likely depend on how much pressure he is willing to exert on Mr. Netanyahu, who has firmly refused to halt his military campaign until Israel achieves its stated goals. Netanyahu has also grown more defiant as multiple Western countries recently recognized a Palestinian state.
In a Sunday interview with Fox News, Mr. Netanyahu indicated that Israel and the United States were still developing the plan and that he preferred not to disclose details prematurely to avoid preempting those conversations.
“We’re working on it; it’s not been finalized yet,” he said. “I hope we can make it a go.”
The Blair Plan
One proposal suggests that Gaza be governed by an entity called the Gaza International Transitional Authority. Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, may be considered for a leadership role overseeing Gaza once the fighting concludes, according to three individuals familiar with the matter.
The Transitional Authority would be supported by a multinational security force, tasked with providing security at border crossings and working to “prevent the resurgence of armed groups, disrupt weapons smuggling, and neutralize asymmetric threats,” as described in a version of the proposal reviewed by The Times.
The Blair proposal also addresses Palestinian concerns regarding permanent displacement from Gaza. It states that the Transitional Authority would be empowered to issue “protected departure certificates,” ensuring that individuals who choose to leave Gaza would be guaranteed the right to return to their homes in the future.
The version of the proposal reviewed by The Times did not specifically mention Hamas, the group responsible for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that ignited the Gaza war. However, it did suggest that the Palestinian Authority, a rival government to Hamas that currently administers parts of the West Bank, would have a limited role in governing Gaza. The Palestinian Authority is generally considered more moderate than Hamas and cooperates with Israel on security matters.
Israeli officials have historically criticized the Palestinian Authority, citing accusations of corruption, mismanagement, and fostering hostility toward Israel. This proposal calls for substantial reforms within the Authority, including its security practices.
It further states that decisions made by the proposed Transitional Authority and the Palestinian Authority should be “consistent with the eventual unifying of all the Palestinian territory under the” Palestinian Authority.
The French-Saudi Plan
A third significant proposal, which garnered the support of 142 countries at the U.N. General Assembly, is known as the New York declaration. This initiative is a collaborative effort led by France and Saudi Arabia.
It advocates for Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the deployment of an international security force organized by the U.N. Hamas would be prohibited from governing Gaza and would be required to surrender its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.
This proposal outlines that post-war Gaza would be governed by a transitional committee composed of technocrats, operating under the oversight of the Palestinian Authority. The authority would commit to holding elections within one year of a cease-fire agreement.