President Donald Trump is claiming credit for brokering a resolution to the Gaza conflict, stating that such a feat "hasn't happened for 3,000 years". Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have announced an agreement on a plan to end the war in Gaza, though it remains uncertain whether Hamas will accept the terms. Trump presented a 20-point plan aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas war and establishing a postwar governance in the Palestinian territory.
The proposed plan outlines a ceasefire, the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody, and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. It also calls for Hamas's disarmament and the establishment of a transitional government under international leadership. A key component of the plan, which Hamas has reportedly resisted, involves the collection of the group's weapons by an "international stabilization force" composed of Arab and European security personnel, to be deployed immediately after a ceasefire.
Trump stated that if Hamas rejects the peace deal, Israel would have the United States' full support to take action against the group. Netanyahu echoed this sentiment, asserting that if Hamas counters the plan, Israel would "finish the job".
In addition to the Gaza conflict, Trump has repeatedly claimed to have brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. He stated that Pakistan's Army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, told him that his intervention "saved millions of lives". Trump asserted that he used trade as leverage to halt the conflict, preventing a potential war between two nuclear powers.
However, India has consistently denied Trump's claims of third-party intervention, maintaining that the understanding on the cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached through direct talks between the two countries' Directors General of Military Operations. Despite India's denials, Trump has repeated his claim of settling the conflict numerous times.
Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza includes several key proposals:
- Immediate Ceasefire: A cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
- Hostage Release: Hamas to release all Israeli hostages within 72 hours of Israel accepting the deal. In exchange, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, as well as 1,700 other Gazans detained following the start of the conflict.
- Phased Israeli Withdrawal: Israel's military to begin a phased withdrawal from parts of the Gaza Strip.
- Transitional Governance: Handing over parts of Gaza to a "technocratic" committee and deploying a temporary security force backed by Arab states.
- Disarmament of Hamas: An end to Hamas rule of Gaza and the disarmament of the militant group.
- International Consortium: Safe humanitarian corridors would be created across the enclave, while internationally-funded reconstruction of Gaza would take place over five years, managed by an “international and Arab consortium”.
The plan also addresses humanitarian aid, stating that it would be distributed by "international institutions not associated in any manner with either party," including the United Nations and the Red Crescent. It also proposes convening a "panel of experts" that could draw up economic redevelopment plans for the Gaza Strip.
