President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jointly presented a new, extensive cease-fire plan aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza. During their White House appearance, Netanyahu publicly endorsed the proposal, affirming it aligns with Israel’s war objectives. Both leaders emphasized that Hamas must accept the terms; otherwise, Trump assured Israel of his complete support to eradicate the militant group as a threat. The leaders concluded their announcement without taking questions from reporters.
Key aspects of the proposed plan include:
- **Immediate Hostage Release**: All hostages, alive and deceased, must be returned within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance of the agreement.
- **Prisoner Exchange**: Following the release of all hostages, Israel would free 250 prisoners serving life sentences, plus 1700 Gazans detained since October 7, 2023, including all women and children. For every Israeli hostage’s remains, Israel would release 15 deceased Gazans.
- **Hamas Amnesty & Disarmament**: Hamas members committing to peaceful coexistence and decommissioning weapons would receive amnesty. Those wishing to leave Gaza would be granted safe passage to receiving countries. Hamas, however, has consistently refused demands to disarm.
- **Humanitarian Aid**: Upon agreement, full aid, consistent with a January 19, 2025, agreement, would immediately enter Gaza, including for infrastructure rehabilitation, hospitals, and bakeries. Aid distribution would be overseen by the United Nations, its agencies, and the Red Crescent, without interference.
- **Governance and Reconstruction**: Gaza would be governed by a temporary, technocratic, and apolitical Palestinian committee of qualified Palestinians and international experts. A new ‘Board of Peace,’ chaired by President Trump and including figures like former Prime Minister Tony Blair, would oversee this transitional body and secure funding for Gaza’s redevelopment.
- **Economic Zone**: A special economic zone with preferred tariff and access rates would be established with participating countries.
- **Demilitarization**: Gaza would become a de-radicalized, terror-free zone with all military and terror infrastructure destroyed and not rebuilt. A supervised demilitarization process, including weapons decommissioning and a buy-back program, would be put in place.
- **Israeli Withdrawal & Security**: Israeli forces would withdraw based on agreed standards and timeframes linked to demilitarization, with the goal of a secure Gaza posing no threat to Israel or Egypt. Israel would maintain a security perimeter for the foreseeable future.
- **Palestinian Statehood**: The plan acknowledges Palestinian self-determination and statehood as an aspiration, dependent on Gaza’s redevelopment and the Palestinian Authority’s reform program.
The immediate reactions to the proposal were mixed. While some Israeli opposition leaders, including Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, praised the plan as a proper basis for a deal, elements within Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition quickly dismissed it as a ‘total failure.’ Hamas, for its part, was not consulted on the plan and is considered unlikely to accept its current form, as it maintains demands for a permanent end to the war and complete Israeli withdrawal before any full hostage release. Netanyahu reiterated that if Hamas rejects the plan, Israel would continue its efforts to eliminate the group by force.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is a potential figure in Gaza’s postwar reconstruction, possibly heading a Gaza International Transitional Authority, a concept he has advocated for, backed by a multinational security force. His past controversial role as a Middle East envoy and his close ties to Saudi leaders, despite human rights concerns, mark his complex engagement in the region.
The future role of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Gaza remains a contentious issue. The PA, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, views Gaza as integral to a future Palestinian state but has faced criticism for corruption and authoritarianism. The new proposal suggests a limited role for the PA after it completes a ‘reform program.’ Hamas, the PA’s rival, has rejected any post-war governance role for the PA and refuses to disarm while ‘occupation continues.’