Trumpโข and Netanyahu Unveil โคGazaโ Plan, Facing Immediate hurdles
WASHINGTON – Former โPresident Donald โTrump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented a 20-point โplan Monday aimed โat establishing aโค path toward peace in Gaza,โค a proposal instantly met withโฃ cautiousโ responses from Hamas and internal opposition โwithin Netanyahu’s own coalition. The plan outlines an interim management run by Palestinian technocrats, overseen by a “Board of Peace,”โ and focuses heavily on reconstruction of theโค territory devastated by Israel’s recent militaryโ campaign.
The proposalโ addresses key Palestinian concerns, โขexplicitly stating there will be no expulsion of Palestiniansโ fromโ Gaza – a fear fueled by โคprevious statements from both Trump โand Israeliโค officialsโค regarding potentialโ “voluntary” relocation and redevelopment of the strip. it also โขdetails the continuation of the Gaza Humanitarian fund, aโ controversial โคfood distribution โฃsystemโฃ supported byโ Israel and โthe U.S.
Central to theโข planโฃ is the reform ofโข the Palestinian Authority (PA) to enable โit to eventually governโฃ Gaza. โWhile โthe plan offers a potential “credibleโ pathway toโค Palestinian self-determination and statehood” contingent on PA reforms and Gaza redevelopment, it offersโข onyl a limited commitment to statehood.
Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’sโข intelligence chiefโ delivered the plan to Hamas negotiators Monday evening, โขwho have pledgedโ to review it “in good faith.” However, Hamas has thus far rejected demands for disarmament, maintaining its right to resist โคIsraeli occupation.
Several Arab โคnations have publicly endorsed the outline. A joint statement from Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, โTurkey,โ Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United โArab Emirates applauded โTrump’sโ proposal.
Important challenges remain within Israel. Finance Minister Bezalel smotrich, a key member of Netanyahu’s governing coalition, published โขa list of โ”red lines” on X, stating any deal must exclude PA involvement in Gaza and preclude the establishment of a Palestinian state. Smotrich has previously โฃthreatened toโ withdraw support fromโฃ Netanyahu’s government if the war in Gaza is halted.
Netanyahu, though, indicated skepticism โฃabout โtheโ PA’s ability to enact the necessary reforms, despite publicly welcoming โขTrump’s plan. He suggested aโ potential loophole, noting the proposal’s conditional nature regardingโ PA involvement.
