In a significant push for peace, former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jointly presented a new cease-fire proposal for Gaza on Monday, hailing it as a major step toward stability in the Middle East. However, the viability of the plan immediately came into question as Hamas, the militant group at the center of the conflict, asserted it was not consulted and seemed unlikely to accept its stringent terms.
The proposed agreement outlines a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, contingent on the return of all Israeli hostages, both living and deceased. An “International Stabilization Force” would then assume responsibility for internal security, with Israel retaining a substantial buffer zone within Gaza’s borders for an “indefinite future,” as stated by Prime Minister Netanyahu.
For Hamas, the terms are particularly demanding: the group would be required to disarm, relinquish any role in governing Gaza, and see its military infrastructure destroyed under international supervision. In return, the plan offers a prisoner exchange involving 250 life-sentence inmates and 1,700 other Gazans detained after the October 7, 2023, attack. Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence and surrender their weapons would receive amnesty, with options for safe passage out of Gaza for those wishing to leave.
The proposal largely bypasses the Palestinian Authority, offering only vague acknowledgment of Palestinian statehood as an aspiration. It suggests a role for the P.A. only after a comprehensive “reform program” is successfully implemented, a condition that critics argue further marginalizes the Palestinian people’s legitimate representatives.
Key Elements of the White House Gaza Cease-Fire Plan:
- Gaza’s Future: Envisioned as a de-radicalized, terror-free zone dedicated to the welfare of its people.
- Immediate Cease-Fire: War would end upon agreement, with Israeli forces withdrawing to designated lines and all military operations suspended during hostage release preparations.
- Hostage Release: All hostages, living and deceased, to be returned within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance.
- Prisoner Exchange: Israel to release 250 life-sentence prisoners and 1,700 Gazans detained post-Oct. 7, 2023, including all women and children. A ratio of 15 deceased Gazans for every Israeli hostage’s remains.
- Amnesty and Safe Passage: Hamas members committing to peaceful coexistence and decommissioning weapons would receive amnesty. Those opting to leave Gaza would be granted safe passage.
- Humanitarian Aid: Full aid, consistent with previous agreements, would immediately flow into Gaza, covering infrastructure, hospitals, and rubble removal. Distribution to be managed by international, non-aligned institutions.
- Rafah Crossing: Operation to be managed under the same mechanism as the Jan. 19, 2025, agreement.
- Transitional Governance: A technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee of qualified Palestinians and international experts would govern Gaza, overseen by a new “Board of Peace” chaired by Donald J. Trump, with members like Tony Blair. This body would fund redevelopment until the Palestinian Authority completes reforms.
- Economic Redevelopment: A Trump economic plan, developed by experts, aims to rebuild Gaza, attract investments, and create jobs. A special economic zone with preferred tariff rates would be established.
- No Forced Displacement: No one forced to leave Gaza; those wishing to leave can return. Encouragement and opportunities for rebuilding Gaza are emphasized.
- Hamas Exclusion and Demilitarization: Hamas and other factions must forgo any governance role. All military and terror infrastructure will be destroyed and not rebuilt. Gaza will undergo demilitarization supervised by independent monitors, including a weapons decommissioning and buy-back program.
- Regional Guarantees: Regional partners will ensure Hamas’s compliance and Gaza’s peaceful posture.
- International Stabilization Force (I.S.F.): The U.S. will establish and deploy a temporary I.S.F. to train Palestinian police, provide internal security, and secure border areas with Israel and Egypt to prevent munitions entry and facilitate goods flow.
- Israeli Withdrawal: The Israel Defense Forces (I.D.F.) will progressively withdraw from Gaza based on agreed-upon demilitarization milestones, maintaining a security perimeter until terror threats are neutralized.
- Alternative Scenario: If Hamas rejects the plan, aid operations will proceed in terror-free areas handed over to the I.S.F.
- Interfaith Dialogue: A process for interfaith dialogue will be established to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
- Palestinian Statehood: A credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood may emerge as Gaza is rebuilt and P.A. reforms are carried out. The U.S. will facilitate dialogue between Israel and Palestinians for peaceful coexistence.
Reactions and Challenges:
Immediate reactions highlight the plan’s contentious nature. While Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed strong support, vowing to “finish the job” against Hamas if the plan is rejected, Hamas’s non-consultation and consistent rejection of demilitarization and Israeli withdrawal terms make its acceptance highly unlikely. Key Israeli opposition figures, like Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, also backed the proposal, seeing it as a basis for a hostage deal.
However, many Palestinians view the vague promise of statehood as insufficient. Meanwhile, within Netanyahu’s Likud Party, some embrace the “peace through strength” vision but remain opposed to any future Palestinian state. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the proposal, urging Israel’s engagement and Hamas’s immediate release of hostages.
The proposal also marks a reversal from earlier Trump administration ideas of mass displacement for Gazans, now encouraging them to stay and rebuild. The concept of a “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump himself, with figures like Tony Blair involved in Gaza’s reconstruction, introduces a unique, U.S.-led oversight for the territory’s future governance and economic development.
The core obstacles remain Hamas’s refusal to disarm and Israel’s demands regarding security and territory. The ongoing military operations in Gaza City continue to displace hundreds of thousands, further complicating any path to a lasting peace, even as international diplomacy intensifies amid Israel’s fractured global standing.