Live Updates: Trump and Netanyahu to Discuss Plans for Postwar Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived at the White House for critical discussions with President Trump. The focus of their meeting is the latest U.S.-backed proposals for governing post-war Gaza, with hopes of finally resolving the two-year conflict.
This marks their fourth Washington meeting since Mr. Trump’s return to office in January. While previous encounters offered fleeting hope for a Gaza cease-fire, the brutal fighting has tragically continued, claiming tens of thousands of Palestinian lives.
Their current talks come amidst heightened international efforts to forge concrete plans for Gaza’s governance once hostilities cease. The Trump administration is reportedly weighing an idea presented by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, while France and several Arab nations have put forth their own proposals.
The meeting also follows a week where Israel’s global standing seemingly faltered, as major European nations like Britain and France announced their recognition of a Palestinian state, directly opposing Israeli views.
Though a steadfast supporter of Israel, Mr. Trump has expressed growing frustration with the prolonged conflict. He has firmly stated he “will not allow” Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, which Palestinians envision as part of their future state. However, the extent of leverage Mr. Trump is prepared to use if Mr. Netanyahu rejects the latest peace initiatives for Gaza’s new government remains unclear.
In past negotiations, Mr. Netanyahu has consistently resisted compromises, preferring to press on with the war against Hamas. His far-right coalition allies advocate for indefinite Israeli control over Gaza and the rebuilding of Jewish settlements there.
On Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu cautiously optimistic about Mr. Trump’s proposal, telling Fox News, “We’re working on it; it’s not been finalized yet. I hope we can make it a go.”
He further suggested that Israel might offer amnesty to Hamas members if they agree to end the war and release the remaining hostages. These hostages were abducted on October 7, 2023, during Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and hundreds of captives.
Gaza health officials report that Israel’s retaliatory offensive has now killed over 65,000 people, including thousands of children, though this count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Here’s what else to know:
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Cautious optimism: Vice President JD Vance described ongoing “complicated negotiations” between Arab leaders, Israel, and the Trump administration regarding post-war Gaza. Despite his cautious optimism for a breakthrough, Mr. Vance warned that a deal could “get derailed at the very last minute.”
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Cease-fire negotiations: Hamas confirmed Sunday that it has not yet formally received a new cease-fire proposal. Talks have stalled since Israel’s controversial September 9th bombing of Qatar, an attempt to assassinate Hamas’s top leadership, which sparked international outcry.
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Latest fighting: Even as discussions about Gaza’s future unfold, Israeli forces continue their operations across Gaza City, displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Many have faced multiple displacements over the past two years, trapped in a relentless cycle of fear, hunger, and bombardment.
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International diplomacy: The conflict has severely damaged Israel’s global standing. Mr. Netanyahu faces war crimes allegations from the International Criminal Court, several European allies have recognized a Palestinian state despite Israeli opposition, and Israelis traveling abroad are increasingly met with protests and harassment.
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Remaining hostages: Despite the immense suffering in Gaza, the conflict has yet to compel Hamas to surrender or release the remaining hostages. Israel states that at least 20 living captives and the bodies of approximately 25 others are still being held in the territory.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel with President Trump in the Oval Office in April. Credit: Eric Lee/The New York Times
Will the Palestinian Authority play a role in Gaza’s future?
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for his White House meeting with President Trump, new proposals are actively circulating to bring an end to the Gaza war and establish a framework for governing the territory thereafter. A key question at the heart of these discussions is whether the Palestinian Authority will play any role.
Currently, the Palestinian Authority (PA) governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and sees itself as the legitimate government of any future Palestinian state.
What is the Palestinian Authority?
The Palestinian Authority was established in 1994, born from the Oslo Accords – a series of agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Its original purpose was to serve as a temporary administration, a stepping stone toward what many hoped would be an independent Palestinian state.
The PA manages civilian affairs in areas of the West Bank where Palestinians reside and collaborates with Israel on security matters. However, their relationship has been consistently strained.
Last week, Mahmoud Abbas, the PA president, addressed the U.N. General Assembly via video, using the platform to accuse Israel of committing “war crimes” in Gaza.
His remote address was necessitated by the Trump administration’s decision to deny him and his delegation entry visas to New York for the General Assembly, citing national security concerns.
Who is Mahmoud Abbas?
At 89, Mr. Abbas has held the presidency of the Palestinian Authority since 2005. Although initially elected for a four-year term, no Palestinian national elections have taken place since 2006.
Critics describe Mr. Abbas’s leadership as corrupt and authoritarian. Recent opinion polls indicate a strong desire among most Palestinians for his resignation.
For a long time, Israeli officials have accused the Authority of mismanaging affairs and fostering anti-Israel sentiment.
During his own U.N. address last week, Mr. Netanyahu declared, “The Palestinian Authority is corrupt to the core.”
Conversely, supporters of the Palestinian Authority argue that its level of corruption is no worse than other governments in the Arab world, and that the ongoing Israeli occupation significantly hinders its capacity to succeed.
What does recognition of a Palestinian state mean?
This month saw several countries, including Israeli allies like France, Britain, and Canada, formally recognize Palestinian statehood. These nations join a growing list of nearly 150 countries that have already recognized or are expected to soon recognize a Palestinian state.
While largely a symbolic gesture supporting Palestinian self-determination, this move has further isolated Israel. Both Israel and its Washington allies oppose the recognition of Palestinian statehood, viewing it as a reward for Hamas, the Islamist group that has controlled Gaza for years and initiated the 2023 attack on Israel that ignited the current war.
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority are long-standing rivals for political leadership among the Palestinian people.
In response to the recent international endorsements of Palestinian statehood, Israeli officials have hinted at annexing parts of the occupied West Bank as retaliation.
However, President Trump stated last week that he would not permit Israel to do so.
What role could the Palestinian Authority play in a postwar Gaza?
Achieving an end to the war in Gaza remains fraught with significant challenges. Israel and Hamas are still deeply divided on core issues, and Israel recently intensified its military operations with a ground offensive to take control of Gaza City.
Mr. Abbas has consistently maintained that Gaza is an essential component of a future Palestinian state. Last week, he affirmed his government’s readiness to assume responsibility for the enclave, pledging that Hamas would have no governing role after the war.
Among the various new proposals aimed at ending the Gaza conflict and establishing post-war governance, one suggests a limited governing role for the Palestinian Authority.
However, due to existing criticisms of the Authority’s corruption, this particular proposal mandates substantial reforms to the body, particularly its security operations.
Another plan, known as the New York declaration, proposes that post-war Gaza be managed by a transitional committee operating under the PA’s umbrella, with elections to be held within one year of a cease-fire.
Hamas announced on Sunday that it has not yet received any new proposals from mediators, indicating that cease-fire negotiations in Gaza remain at a standstill.
What is the Palestinian Authority’s relationship with Hamas?
A deep-seated and long-standing rivalry exists between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
In 2006, Hamas achieved victory in Palestinian legislative elections, narrowly defeating Mr. Abbas’s rival Fatah movement. The following year, Hamas forcibly removed the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority from the Gaza Strip, seizing complete control.
Numerous attempts to reconcile the two factions have, thus far, been unsuccessful.
Mr. Abbas has condemned the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, asserting that Palestinians aspire to a modern state and a peaceful transfer of power. He explicitly stated there is no place for an armed Hamas in this vision, urging the group to disarm.
Hamas, however, rejected Mr. Abbas’s statement about their exclusion from a Gaza government, calling it “an infringement on our Palestinian people’s inherent right to self-determination.”
Hamas also declared its refusal to lay down weapons “as long as the occupation continues.”
Ephrat Livni contributed reporting.
Update from Aaron Boxerman
As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with President Trump to discuss Gaza’s future, he faces significant pressure from his far-right coalition allies to adopt an unyielding stance.
Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right finance minister, confirmed Monday that he presented Netanyahu with several “red lines.” These include maintaining a permanent Israeli military presence in Gaza and completely excluding the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority from any role in the territory’s governance. The Palestinian Authority administers parts of the West Bank and considers itself the legitimate government of a future Palestinian state. Such demands from Smotrich could severely complicate any agreement acceptable to Israel, the United States, and their Arab counterparts, let alone Hamas.
Critics of Netanyahu often allege that he prioritizes appeasing his right-wing coalition over pursuing a pragmatic cease-fire agreement with Hamas to secure the release of remaining hostages in Gaza. Netanyahu, however, refutes these claims.
New ideas are emerging to end the war in Gaza and govern after the conflict.
As President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel prepare for their White House meeting on Monday, a flurry of new proposals to end the Gaza conflict and establish governance for the territory are actively being debated.
This year’s U.N. General Assembly prominently featured discussions about the conflict and Gaza’s uncertain future. At the close of last week’s sessions, President Trump expressed optimism about securing a peace deal.
However, similar optimistic pronouncements have been made before, and any path to ending the fighting remains riddled with significant obstacles. Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas continue to clash on key issues, and recent weeks have seen an escalation of hostilities, including an Israeli ground offensive into Gaza City.
During his address at the United Nations on Friday, Mr. Netanyahu signaled his resolve to press forward with the Gaza City campaign. Meanwhile, Hamas stated on Sunday that it has not received any new proposals from mediators, indicating a continued standstill in negotiations.
Below are some of the most recent plans aimed at ending the war, establishing a new system of post-war governance, and addressing the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Trump Plan
Last week, Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy for peace missions, outlined the broad contours of an American peace plan during a meeting with leaders from Arab and Muslim-majority countries at the U.N.
According to an Arab official and another anonymous source familiar with the discussions, this plan proposes that Hamas would agree to release all living hostages and the remains of former captives within 48 hours of the agreement. Additionally, Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence with Israel would receive amnesty, and those wishing to leave Gaza would be guaranteed safe passage. Details of this proposal were previously reported by The Times of Israel.
The families of hostages and their supporters, in Tel Aviv in August, calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.
A senior White House official also noted that the American proposal includes a mutual commitment to initiate a new dialogue on peaceful coexistence, along with a pledge from Israel to cease further attacks on Qatar.
Qatar, a vital U.S. ally, has been instrumental in mediating negotiations to end the Gaza war, working alongside Egypt. However, Israel’s airstrikes on the Qatari capital, Doha, on September 9th – a failed attempt to assassinate Hamas officials – severely angered U.S. officials.
The success of Mr. Trump’s efforts to end the war likely hinges on his willingness to exert pressure on Mr. Netanyahu. The Israeli Prime Minister has staunchly refused to halt his military campaign until Israel achieves its stated objectives, and his resolve has stiffened following the recent recognition of a Palestinian state by several Western nations.
In a Sunday interview with Fox News, Mr. Netanyahu indicated that Israel and the United States were still developing the plan, opting not to discuss specifics 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 named the Gaza International Transitional Authority. According to three informed sources, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is being considered for a leadership role in overseeing Gaza once the conflict concludes.
This Transitional Authority would be supported by a multinational security force. Its mandate would include securing border crossings, preventing the re-emergence of armed groups, disrupting weapons smuggling, and neutralizing asymmetric threats, as outlined in a version of the proposal reviewed by The Times.
The Blair proposal also addresses the critical concern of permanent displacement for Palestinians in Gaza. It stipulates that the Transitional Authority would be authorized to issue “protected departure certificates,” ensuring that any residents who choose to leave Gaza retain the right to return to their homes in the future.
While the reviewed proposal did not explicitly mention Hamas, the group that launched the October 7, 2023, attack igniting the Gaza war, it did indicate a limited governing role for the Palestinian Authority. The PA, a rival to Hamas that administers parts of the West Bank, is generally considered more moderate and collaborates with Israel on security.
Members of Hamas during the transfer of four bodies of Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, Gaza, in February.
Israeli officials have historically criticized the Palestinian Authority for alleged corruption, mismanagement, and fostering hostility toward Israel. This proposal, therefore, calls for significant reforms to the Authority, including its security protocols.
It further states that decisions made by the proposed Transitional Authority and the Palestinian Authority should align with “the eventual unifying of all the Palestinian territory under the” Palestinian Authority.
The French-Saudi Plan
A third significant proposal, endorsed by 142 countries at the General Assembly, is the “New York declaration,” an initiative championed by France and Saudi Arabia.
This plan advocates for Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, to be followed by the deployment of an international security force organized by the U.N. It also mandates that Hamas be barred from governing Gaza and agree to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.
The New York declaration proposes that post-war Gaza would be managed by a transitional committee composed of technocrats, operating under the Palestinian Authority’s oversight. This authority would commit to holding elections within one year of a cease-fire.
Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.