In a significant development, former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a comprehensive proposal on Monday aimed at ending the war in Gaza. Both leaders heralded it as a monumental step towards peace in the Middle East, with an unequivocal demand for Hamas to accept its terms.
However, the militant group’s acceptance appears highly unlikely. The plan mandates Hamas’s disarmament, requires them to accept significantly less than a full Israeli withdrawal from the territory, and explicitly excludes them from any future governance of Gaza.
Regional officials, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, confirmed that the prime minister of Qatar and the chief of Egypt’s General Intelligence Service had met with Hamas negotiators to present the proposal. Hamas reportedly pledged to review the terms in good faith and provide a response.
During a White House appearance with Mr. Trump, Mr. Netanyahu quickly voiced his support for the plan. Trump, in turn, issued a stark warning: if Hamas rejects the proposal – which contains numerous conditions the group has consistently opposed – Israel would receive his “full backing” to eliminate it as a threat. Netanyahu echoed this resolve, vowing, “This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done,” with or without international support.
The proposal outlines a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces within the Gaza Strip. An initial pullback would occur pending the return of all Israeli hostages, both living and deceased. A further withdrawal would then proceed once an “International Stabilization Force” is prepared to ensure internal security. Critically, Israel would retain a substantial buffer zone along Gaza’s borders “for the foreseeable future,” according to Mr. Netanyahu.
In exchange, Hamas would benefit from a prisoner exchange, which includes 250 inmates serving life sentences and an additional 1,700 Gazans detained after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, encompassing all women and children held in that context. For every deceased Israeli hostage repatriated, Israel would release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans. Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence and agree to decommission their weapons would be granted amnesty, with safe passage offered to those wishing to leave Gaza.
However, the plan unequivocally states that Hamas must relinquish any role in governing Gaza, see its weapons and offensive infrastructure dismantled, and agree to demilitarization under international monitoring.
Regarding Palestinian statehood, the proposal offers only symbolic recognition, acknowledging it “as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.” While Arab nations advocate for the Palestinian Authority’s involvement in postwar Gaza as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, Israel views it as corrupt and an impediment to peace. The Trump-Netanyahu plan only envisions a role for the authority after it completes a “reform program.” It suggests that a “credible pathway” to statehood might emerge only after Gaza’s reconstruction and the faithful execution of an overhaul program by the Palestinian Authority.
Here’s what else to know:
- Latest fighting: Despite ongoing discussions for postwar Gaza, Israeli forces persist in their sweep through Gaza City, displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have often been uprooted multiple times, enduring a relentless cycle of fear, hunger, and bombardment.
- International diplomacy: The conflict has severely damaged Israel’s global standing. Mr. Netanyahu faces allegations of war crimes from the International Criminal Court, several European allies have recognized a Palestinian state despite Israeli objections, and Israelis abroad increasingly encounter protests and harassment.
- Remaining hostages: The war has yet to compel Hamas to surrender or release the remaining hostages. Israel reports at least 20 living captives and approximately 25 bodies are still held.
Sept. 29, 2025, 5:04 p.m. ET, Adam Rasgon reported: The foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt issued a joint statement welcoming President Trump’s “sincere efforts” to end the war in Gaza.
Sept. 29, 2025, 4:46 p.m. ET, Aurelien Breeden reported: French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country along with Saudi Arabia has put forward its own plan for Gaza, expressed his welcome for President Trump’s cease-fire proposal. He urged Israel to “engage resolutely on this basis” and stated that “Hamas has no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan.”
Sept. 29, 2025, 4:38 p.m. ET, Adam Rasgon reported: Hamas is unlikely to accept Trump’s Gaza plan in its current form. For months, the group has demanded a permanent end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal before releasing any remaining hostages. However, the proposed plan calls for hostage releases within 72 hours of Israeli acceptance, with an unspecified, unclear timeline for Israeli withdrawal. Furthermore, Hamas has publicly refused to disarm, a key component of the plan’s focus on demilitarization.
Sept. 29, 2025, 4:20 p.m. ET, Luke Broadwater reported: A provisional board, with President Trump as its chairman, would be established to oversee and redevelop Gaza. Trump has long eyed the potential value of Gaza’s waterfront properties.
Sept. 29, 2025, 4:11 p.m. ET, Johnatan Reiss reported: Reactions to the plan varied across Israel’s political landscape. Members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party embraced President Trump’s vision as a path to “peace through strength,” despite Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s firm stance that “There will never be a Palestinian state in the land of our forefathers.” In contrast, the families of Israeli hostages hailed the plan as a “historic turning point.”
Sept. 29, 2025, 3:27 p.m. ET, Aaron Boxerman reported: Prominent Israeli opposition figures, including Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, have praised President Trump’s plan. Lapid, the leader of the parliamentary opposition, called it “the proper basis for a hostage deal and the end of the war,” while Gantz urged its immediate implementation. Both have previously indicated a willingness to support Netanyahu’s government to facilitate such an agreement, even against objections from his right-wing coalition partners.
Sept. 29, 2025, 3:18 p.m. ET, Katie Rogers reported: This scenario echoes a prior White House event where Trump, after a meeting with Vladimir Putin regarding Ukraine, emerged without an agreement and declined questions. This pattern suggests a familiar approach to complex international negotiations.
Sept. 29, 2025, 3:10 p.m. ET, Shawn McCreesh reported: President Trump concluded the news conference without taking any questions, and both leaders departed the room.
Sept. 29, 2025, 3:09 p.m. ET, Aaron Boxerman reported: President Trump’s framework for ending the war in Gaza includes a provision for a future Palestinian state under certain conditions, acknowledging it as “the aspiration of the Palestinian people.” This distant and vague prospect of independence is likely to be deemed insufficient by many Palestinians. Moreover, this symbolic commitment could become a sticking point for Israel’s right-wing government, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Sept. 29, 2025, 3:05 p.m. ET, Luke Broadwater reported: Netanyahu declared, “If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President, or if they supposedly accepted and then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself.”
Sept. 29, 2025, 3:04 p.m. ET, Adam Rasgon reported: Netanyahu asserted that Israel is prepared to use force to disarm and disempower Hamas in Gaza if the militant group does not accept Trump’s plan. “This can be done the easy way or the hard way,” he stated.
Sept. 29, 2025, 3:04 p.m. ET, Luke Broadwater reported: Netanyahu clarified that if Hamas agrees to the White House proposal, Israeli troops would withdraw from Gaza but would maintain a “security perimeter for the foreseeable future” within the territory.
Sept. 29, 2025, 3:01 p.m. ET, Johnatan Reiss reported: Trump suggested that ending the war in Gaza aligns with the desires of most Israelis. However, several key political allies of Netanyahu have publicly opposed plans involving Israel’s military withdrawal from the enclave and the Palestinian Authority’s participation in its governance. Some on the Israeli right have already dismissed the plan as a “total failure.” Conversely, families of Israeli hostages issued a statement hailing the proposal as a “historic turning point.”
Sept. 29, 2025, 2:56 p.m. ET, Luke Broadwater reported: Trump indicated that Hamas’s weakened leadership, resulting from numerous Israeli operations, increases the likelihood of the group accepting the peace deal. “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 said. “Their leadership has been killed three times over. So you’re really dealing with different people.”
Sept. 29, 2025, 2:58 p.m. ET, Adam Rasgon reported: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly announced his support for President Trump’s plan to end the war.
Sept. 29, 2025, 2:58 p.m. ET, Aaron Boxerman reported: Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has commenced his own remarks.
Sept. 29, 2025, 2:49 p.m. ET, The New York Times reported: The White House has officially released the full text of its Gaza cease-fire plan. The proposal includes conditions long rejected by Hamas, such as demilitarization and exclusion from governance, but also promises extensive aid, infrastructure rehabilitation, and future economic development. It offers a “credible pathway” to Palestinian self-determination and statehood under specific reform conditions.
Sept. 29, 2025, 2:48 p.m. ET, David Halbfinger reported: It’s notable that the proposal offers no guarantees regarding a complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza. While it outlines a phased pullback, Israel is permitted to maintain a substantial “buffer” area within Gaza’s borders until the territory is deemed “properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.” The criteria for this determination remain unspecified, suggesting Israel could potentially retain this buffer zone indefinitely.
Sept. 29, 2025, 12:35 p.m. ET, Mark Landler reported: Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, is emerging as a potential key figure in Gaza’s postwar reconstruction efforts. He has been advocating for a “Gaza International Transitional Authority,” a U.N.-mandated administration supported by a multinational security force. Blair has now been put forward as a candidate to lead this authority, a role he described as “bold,” believing the plan offers “the best chance of ending two years of war, misery and suffering.” Blair’s long and often controversial involvement in Middle East diplomacy, including his past role as a Quartet envoy and his continued engagement with Arab leaders through his nonprofit, highlights his enduring connection to the region’s challenges.