Interview
Will President Trump’s Gaza peace plan work?
- Donald Trump has unveiled a comprehensive 20-point ceasefire and stabilization plan for Gaza, described as the most serious proposal initiated since January.
- The plan divides immediate and long-term actions, with immediate phases intended to halt conflict and freeze front lines within days of agreement.
- Hamas is mandated to release all 48 Israeli hostages (living and dead) within the first three days of implementation.
- A surge of humanitarian aid is scheduled to enter Gaza immediately, mirroring the volume seen during the January ceasefire.
- Long-term provisions include the disarmament of Hamas, with amnesty offered to members who lay down weapons and agree to live peacefully.
- An international peacekeeping force will be deployed to oversee disarmament and provide security in the territory.
- A "Board of Peace" will be established to govern Gaza post-war, headed by Donald Trump, with input from Arab leaders and the Palestinian Authority.
- Significant friction exists regarding the Board of Peace: while Trump, European allies, and Arab states support Palestinian Authority involvement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explicitly opposes it.
- The proposal largely replicates elements discussed by Arab and Western nations since late 2023, though Israel previously refused to participate in those earlier negotiations.
- This marks a strategic shift from Trump's February suggestion of Gaza as a beach resort, moving toward a viable diplomatic framework.
- Trump applied direct pressure on the Israeli government during the announcement, notably facilitating an apology from Netanyahu to Qatar's Prime Minister regarding a recent airstrike in Doha.
- Hamas has not yet reviewed the formal proposal, having only learned of its details via the press conference, and expects to submit amendments after several days of study.
- Key hurdles for Hamas include the fear that releasing all hostages immediately will remove their leverage against Israel, risking a resumption of war.
- Trump framed rejection of the deal as resulting in an alternative scenario where Israel would "finish the job by itself."
- Trump characterized the announcement as a historic milestone ending a 3,000-year conflict, though this historical framing was not shared by Netanyahu.
- Netanyahu endorsed the deal but retained "wiggle room," signaling a divergence from Trump's vision of expanding the Abraham Accords to include peace deals with Syria and Lebanon.
- A fundamental disagreement exists regarding a Palestinian state: Trump views the plan as a step toward statehood and a broader regional peace, whereas Netanyahu remains uninterested in that outcome.
- The primary challenge for implementation is maintaining pressure on both Hamas to accept the terms and Israel to adhere to the governance structure over the coming weeks and months.