On September 29, Trump released a 20-point proposal for peace in Gaza and spoke alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump dubbed today, “potentially one of the great days ever in civilization.”
Provisions of the plan include the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, as well as the release of thousands of Palestinians detained by Israel since the start of the war, which is almost two years old. Israel will gradually withdraw from Gaza as an Arab-led International Stabilization Force takes control over the strip. This would lead to the second broad phase of the plan, with a Board of Peace taking over Gaza. It will be an apolitical technocracy led by Trump and involve former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. A reformed Palestinian Authority will take over in the long-run. While the plan does not include an American recognition of a Palestinian state, it recognizes and supports the Palestinian aspiration to form one.
There are several hurdles to putting the peace plan into action. While Netanyahu himself supports it, his cabinet must approve. A member of that cabinet, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has criticized the deal, but has not gone so far as to say he will torpedo it. He was joined by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. While Netanyahu supports the deal in theory, there are questions about its implementation; there has been speculation that he is prolonging the Israel-Hamas War to escape corruption charges that Trump has tried to bail him out of, a violation of Israel’s judicial sovereignty.
Qatar and Egypt will hold meetings with Hamas regarding the peace deal. The deal does cross the red lines of the terrorist group that started the war, including the disarmament. The vast underground complex built by Hamas is also to be destroyed if the peace plan is enacted. Hamas is caught in a bind, as “Clause 17 states that, even if Hamas declines the proposal, the increase in humanitarian aid and the transfer of conquered territory from the Israeli military to an international force will proceed.”
The plan lacks a timeline for the most part, and lacks crucial details. For instance, it does not describe who would oversee the disarmament of Hamas. For now, it is unlikely to come to fruition, with Hamas facing a collapse of its political influence in Gaza if it agrees; the only thing it gets in return is its fighters receiving amnesty if they agree to peacefully co-exist with Israel.
