The Washington Post on Sunday revealed new details about U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the Israeli war on Gaza, saying it calls for an immediate halt to all military operations in the Strip.
اضافة اعلان
According to the newspaper, the plan also calls for freezing battle lines in place, the release of all living captives within 48 hours, and the handover of the remains of more than 20 others believed to have been killed.
The 21-point plan—obtained by the Washington Post and verified by two government entities briefed on it by the U.S. administration—also stipulates the destruction of all “offensive” weapons held by Hamas and amnesty for fighters who commit to peaceful coexistence. Safe passage would also be facilitated for Hamas members choosing to leave to other countries.
Neither Israel nor Hamas has yet agreed to the plan, which spans more than three pages and was presented by U.S. officials to regional governments and allies in high-level meetings on the sidelines of last week’s UN General Assembly. Trump is expected to press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept it during their meeting at the White House on Monday.
A senior Israeli official told reporters in a briefing Friday that Tel Aviv still needs to review the plan before the Trump-Netanyahu meeting. Hamas has not yet received a copy, according to regional officials.
It remains unclear whether the governance, security, rehabilitation, and development elements of the plan have already begun or how quickly they could be implemented if a ceasefire were imminent.
Additional Details
The plan provides little to no clarity on how or in what sequence its 21 points would be implemented, except for the initial ceasefire, release of captives, and increased humanitarian aid.
It stipulates that no Gaza residents will be forced to leave and that those who do will retain the right to return. However, it does not specify where Gazans would go during the implementation of Trump’s “economic development plan to rebuild and revitalize” the Strip.
A regional official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Nothing has been finalized yet… These are still broad outlines. Some things remain to be settled.”
The White House has not yet responded to questions about the proposal. Parts of the plan had already been published Saturday on the Times of Israel website.
Some sections of the U.S. plan contain detailed provisions. For example, it states: “Once all captives are released, Israel will release 250 prisoners serving life sentences, along with 1,700 Gazans detained after October 7, 2023. For each Israeli captive whose body is returned, Israel will release 15 Palestinian bodies.”
The plan further states: “Upon acceptance of this agreement, aid will be fully and immediately delivered into Gaza, including the rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sanitation), restoration of hospitals and bakeries, and the entry of equipment to remove rubble and reopen roads.” It does not specify who would carry out or finance this work.
It also stipulates that “aid will be brought in and distributed without interference from either side through the United Nations and its agencies… along with other international institutions unaffiliated with either party.” It remains unclear whether this would include the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” backed by the U.S. and Israel, which currently provides aid in southern Gaza.
The plan also envisions the establishment of a “temporary transitional administration” composed of “qualified Palestinians and international experts” to manage “day-to-day services” in Gaza. This body would be “supported and supervised by a new international authority” set up by the U.S. in consultation with other parties, while the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank undertakes internal reforms until it is deemed capable of taking over Gaza in the future.
The document says the U.S. “will work with Arab and international partners to form a temporary international stabilization force to be deployed immediately to oversee security in Gaza” until a Palestinian force is trained to assume responsibility. Israel Defense Forces would “gradually hand over the territories it occupies in Gaza,” eventually withdrawing entirely, except for an unspecified presence along the “perimeter.”
According to a regional official, some Arab governments have tentatively agreed to join the stabilization force, “but more discussions are needed.” The plan also acknowledges “the important role played by Qatar as a mediator in this conflict.”
An Israeli official said some elements of the plan would be difficult, such as disarmament in Gaza, but affirmed Israel’s agreement with the principle of creating a transitional administration run by “Gazans and others.”
Perhaps the most contentious parts are the final two points, which appear designed to reassure more than 150 countries that have recognized the State of Palestine and to persuade Arab governments insisting that no peace agreement can move forward without reference to a future state.
The document cautiously states that “once all development plans and political reforms are implemented, conditions may eventually be created for a credible path toward the establishment of a Palestinian state, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.” It adds that the U.S. “will launch a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence.”
On Saturday, Trump said there was “more goodwill than ever before” toward reaching an agreement on Gaza, stressing that “everyone is eager to move past this difficult period, and it is an honor for me to be part of these negotiations on Gaza.”
— (Agencies)
