Key developments unfolding:
- President Trump has issued a clear message: Hamas must accept his 20-point peace proposal for Gaza, which contains conditions it has already rebuffed. Failure to do so, he stated, would grant Israel his “full backing” to dismantle the organization as a threat. Earlier today, Hamas indicated it was not consulted on this latest cease-fire initiative and continues to reject its core terms.
- Standing beside Trump at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his full support for the plan, asserting that it would achieve Israel’s strategic war objectives. Notably, neither leader took questions from the press.
- The White House earlier today released the comprehensive details of its new peace proposal, calling for an immediate and lasting cease-fire in Gaza.
Following their remarks, President Trump declined to take any questions from reporters, and both leaders promptly exited the room.
A notable aspect of President Trump’s proposed Gaza peace framework is its inclusion of language that keeps open the future possibility for a Palestinian state under certain conditions, which “we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.” For many Palestinians, this vague and distant promise of independence is unlikely to be deemed sufficient. However, this symbolic gesture alone could create significant tension within Israel’s right-wing government, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently opposed the formation of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu made it clear that if Hamas either rejects the President’s proposal or attempts to undermine it after accepting, “then Israel will finish the job by itself.”
In a strong warning, Netanyahu implied that Israel would resort to military force to disarm Hamas in Gaza if the group fails to accept Trump’s peace initiative. “This can be done the easy way or the hard way,” he stated.
Netanyahu elaborated that under the White House’s proposed agreement, Israeli troops would withdraw from Gaza. However, they would maintain a presence “in the security perimeter for the foreseeable future.”
While President Trump suggested that a majority of Israelis desire an end to the Gaza war, several of Netanyahu’s crucial political allies have publicly opposed any plan involving an Israeli military withdrawal from the enclave or Palestinian Authority involvement in its governance. Elements within the Israeli right, including a coalition member and a former spokesman, have already labeled the plan a “total failure.” Conversely, the families of Israeli hostages issued a statement hailing the proposal as a “historic turning point.”
Netanyahu explicitly told Trump, “I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war aims.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly declared his support for President Trump’s vision to conclude the ongoing conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now commenced his address.
Trump suggested that Hamas is more likely to accept the deal now, citing significant losses among its leadership. “Now it’s time for Hamas to accept the terms of the plan that we’ve put forward today. And again, this is a different Hamas,” he stated. “Their leadership has been killed three times over. So you’re really dealing with different people.”
The news conference unexpectedly veered into a less formal, somewhat disjointed session. Trump began speaking off-the-cuff, making jokes about his pronunciation of “Abraham” and critiquing Joe Biden. Israeli journalists in attendance reacted with laughter, while Netanyahu, awaiting his turn to speak, smiled and nodded.
Here is the text of the White House’s Gaza cease-fire plan.
The White House released a comprehensive plan on Monday, proposing an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and outlining a framework for the territory’s future.
This proposal includes numerous conditions that have previously been rejected by both Israel and Hamas.
Below is the full text of the proposal, as provided by the White House:
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Gaza will be a de-radicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
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Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.
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If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
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Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.
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Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after Oct. 7, 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
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Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
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Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the Jan. 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.
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Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the Jan. 19, 2025 agreement.
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Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza.
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This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
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This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.
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A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.
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A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.
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No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.
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Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.
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A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.
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The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A de-confliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.
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Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (I.D.F.) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and time frames linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the United States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.
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In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.
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An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence to try and change mind-sets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.
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While Gaza redevelopment advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.
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The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence.
Critically, the proposal offers no definitive guarantee regarding the ultimate withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza. Although it outlines a phased reduction, Israel reserves the right to maintain control over a substantial “buffer” zone within Gaza’s borders “until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.” The absence of clear criteria or a designated authority to determine this “secure” status suggests Israel could potentially retain this buffer area indefinitely.
Trump enthusiastically promoted the establishment of a “Board of Peace,” an international transitional body he intends to chair. He asserted that other global leaders are now eager to join this initiative due to his involvement, stating, “It’s so important. I’m willing to do it.”
During his presentation of the plan, Trump explicitly stated that Hamas must accept the 20 proposed conditions, many of which it has already publicly rejected. Otherwise, he indicated, Israel would receive his full authorization to completely eliminate Hamas.
President Trump’s new proposal encourages Palestinians to remain in the Gaza Strip, offering them “the opportunity to build a better Gaza.” This marks a significant shift from his earlier suggestions in February, during a prior visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where he floated the controversial idea of a mass exodus of Gazans to facilitate reconstruction – a concept widely criticized as impractical.
The proposal approaches several sensitive topics with notable caution. For instance, the role of the Palestinian Authority (PA) is described vaguely. While Arab nations advocate for the PA’s involvement, viewing it as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, Israel considers it corrupt and an impediment to peace. The plan only suggests a role for the PA once it completes a “reform program.” Furthermore, it provides no concrete path to Palestinian statehood, merely speculating that after the PA undergoes changes, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” The use of “may” here highlights the inherent uncertainty.
Trump reiterated that if Hamas rejects the proposed deal, “Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas.”
President Trump is currently detailing his recent discussions with various Middle Eastern leaders, commending their contributions to the peace plan that the White House just revealed.
As the President outlined his plan, its details were being scrutinized, revealing what appear to be contradictory points. For instance, it ties the cessation of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza to both parties accepting the proposal. Yet, it also stipulates that if Hamas “delays or rejects this proposal,” certain elements of the plan would still “proceed in the terror-free areas handed over” from Israeli forces to an “International Stabilization Force.”
Regarding a potential cease-fire deal in Gaza, Trump expressed strong optimism, stating, “We’re at a minimum, very, very close. And I think we’re beyond very close.”
President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu have arrived in the State Dining Room to begin their joint news conference.
Jared Kushner, the President’s son-in-law, was seen entering the room, accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, who settled into the front row. Kushner’s ongoing involvement in behind-the-scenes negotiations continues despite his departure from government roles.
Tony Blair emerges as a potential figure in Gaza’s postwar reconstruction.
Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, has emerged as a potential figure in the reconstruction of Gaza.
He has been trying to build support for a plan that would create a Gaza International Transitional Authority, a U.N.-mandated administration that would include a multinational security force to stabilize the war-torn enclave. Now he has emerged as a candidate to head that authority.
For Mr. Blair, the Middle East is one of the most consistent, if contentious, chapters in a busy career after Downing Street.
He served for eight years as the envoy for the Quartet, a diplomatic group composed of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia that tried, with little success, to broker a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.
His appointment, which came immediately after he stepped down as prime minister in 2007, was divisive from the outset because of his support for President George W. Bush’s war in Iraq, as well as his close relations with Israel, which led many Palestinians to distrust him.
But Mr. Blair has also worked closely with Arab leaders, including those of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, through his nonprofit organization, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. He defended his ties to the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, despite evidence that the Saudi royal had been responsible for the killing of the dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“I don’t think any of us who believe we should engage with Saudi Arabia has ever dialed back our disapproval of that,” Mr. Blair said in an interview in 2024. “But I do think that what is happening in Saudi Arabia is a social revolution which has immense and positive implications for our security, and for the Middle East.”
Mr. Blair pointed in that interview to the negotiations among Saudi Arabia, the United States and Israel over normalizing relations as proof of the value of engaging with autocratic leaders such Prince Mohammed. Those talks have been put on hold by the war in Gaza.
Will the Palestinian Authority play a role in Gaza’s future?
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Trump on Monday, new proposals for ending the Gaza war and governing the territory afterward are circulating. One central question is whether the Palestinian Authority would play any role.
The authority administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and considers itself the rightful government of any future Palestinian state.
What is the Palestinian Authority?
The Palestinian Authority was established in 1994 as a result of the Oslo Accords, a series of agreements signed by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. It was intended as a temporary administration on the way to what many hoped would be the eventual creation of an independent Palestinian state.
It administers areas of the West Bank where Palestinians live and cooperates with Israel on security. But relations with Israel have been fraught.
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority’s president, delivered a video address to the U.N. General Assembly last week in which he accused Israel of committing “war crimes” in Gaza.
He spoke by video because the Trump administration denied him and his delegation entry visas to attend the Assembly in New York on national security grounds.
Who is Mahmoud Abbas?
Mr. Abbas, 89, has been president of the Palestinian Authority since 2005. He was first elected to a four-year term, but there have been no Palestinian national elections since 2006.
Critics say the administration under Mr. Abbas’s leadership is corrupt and authoritarian. Recent opinion polls have shown that most Palestinians want him to resign.
Israeli officials have long accused the authority of mismanagement and fomenting hostility toward Israel.
“The Palestinian Authority is corrupt to the core,” Mr. Netanyahu said in his own address to the U.N. last week.
Supporters of the Palestinian Authority say that it is no more corrupt than other governments in the Arab world and that the Israeli occupation hampers its ability to succeed.
What does recognition of a Palestinian state mean?
This month, a number of countries, including Israeli allies France, Britain and Canada, recognized Palestinian statehood. They joined nearly 150 nations that have recently recognized a Palestinian state or are expected to do so soon.
The move, while mostly a symbolic act supporting Palestinian self-determination, deepened the isolation of Israel. Both Israel and its allies in Washington oppose the recognition of Palestinian statehood, describing it as a reward for Hamas, the Islamist group that has long controlled Gaza and which led the 2023 attack on Israel that set off the Gaza war.
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority are rivals for leadership of the Palestinian people.
Israeli officials, angered by the recent international endorsements of Palestinian statehood, have suggested that Israel could annex at least part of the occupied West Bank in retaliation.
But Mr. Trump said last week that he would not allow Israel to do that.
What role could the Palestinian Authority play in a postwar Gaza?
Any effort to end the war in Gaza still faces significant obstacles. Israel and Hamas are at odds over central sticking points, and Israel escalated its military campaign in recent weeks with a ground offensive to take over Gaza City.
Mr. Abbas has called Gaza an integral part of a future Palestinian state, and said last week that his government was willing to take responsibility for the enclave. He pledged that Hamas would have no part in governing the territory after the war ends.
Among several new proposals to end the fighting in Gaza and oversee the territory afterward, one proposes that the Palestinian Authority would have a limited role in governing.
But given the criticisms of the authority as corrupt, this proposal calls for significant changes to the body, including its security practices.
Another proposal, known as the New York declaration, suggests that postwar Gaza could be governed by a transitional committee operating under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority, which would hold elections within a year of a cease-fire.
Hamas said on Sunday that it had not received any new proposals from mediators and that negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza are at a standstill.
What is the Palestinian Authority’s relationship with Hamas?
A deep feud has long divided the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
In 2006, Hamas won Palestinian legislative elections, narrowly defeating Mr. Abbas’s rival Fatah movement. The following year, Hamas violently ousted the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority from the Gaza Strip, seizing full control.
Various attempts at reconciliation between the factions have failed.
Mr. Abbas has condemned the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, and says Palestinians want a modern state and a peaceful transition of power. There is no place for an armed Hamas in that vision, he said, calling on the group to lay down its weapons.
Hamas rejected Mr. Abbas’s assertion that the group would have no role in a Gaza government after the war, calling it “an infringement on our Palestinian people’s inherent right to self-determination.”
Hamas also said it will not lay down its weapons “as long as the occupation continues.”
Ephrat Livni contributed reporting.