Donald Trump just issued a 20-point plan to end the currently raging war in Gaza. This announcement has created a tremendous amount of interest and excitement among world leaders and global stakeholders. At the White House health care rollout Trump raised this popular plan with a lot of hoopla. It describes three key measures, most prominently a ceasefire, a return of captives, and ultimately disarming of Hamas. It outlines a new political structure for Gaza after any conflict, most importantly leaving Hamas out of any governing discussion.
The plan’s release coincides with a growing outcry on the human toll of the conflict and increasing racial tensions. In the proposal, Trump required Hamas to respond within 72 hours—meaning that any response would come within a very short window of time. This ultimatum further underscores the urgent need to de-escalate the spiraling conflict. Their refusal to act has produced an extraordinary humanitarian crisis that harms millions of civilians.
Jared Kushner, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined together in the same room for a six hour session of historic importance. Collectively, they worked to rework an initial draft that had been submitted by a group of Arab and Muslim-majority countries.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar emphasized that Trump’s publicized plan diverges significantly from the original draft.
“I made it clear that the 20 points that President (Donald) Trump made public are not ours. Changes were made to our draft. I have the record.” – Ishaq Dar
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani expressed cautious optimism regarding the potential for peace. He noted that some may want a move to resolve the crisis. He noted he admits there are aspects of the plan that require further explanation.
“If we speak of the main objectives, there are objectives that it [the US plan] achieves, such as ending the war, and there are things that need clarification, which certainly need discussions and negotiations.” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani
As currently conceived, the plan’s implementation framework links Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza with Hamas’s disarmament. Israel will continue to exercise control over a buffer zone inside of Gaza. This legislation will help alleviate security concerns before actual disarmament occurs. An international commission—headed by none other than Donald Trump—will monitor the plan’s adherence. In the interim, to be composed of Palestinian professionals, a Palestinian technocratic oversight committee should run civilian governance operations until the Palestinian Authority can repair its fractures.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty indicated that further discussions are essential to refine the plan’s details and address critical issues related to governance and security arrangements.
“There are a lot of holes that need to be filled; we need more discussions on how to implement it, especially on two important issues – governance and security arrangements.” – Badr Abdelatty
As I write, Hamas is presumably busy evaluating the merits of Trump’s proposal and considering its impact against a backdrop of evolving conflict dynamics. A spokesperson for Hamas described their execution of these negotiations as being delayed.
“We are not dealing [with the plan] under the logic that time is a sword pointed at our neck.” – Mohammad Nazzal
As talks continue to develop though, it’s undoubtedly apparent that though Trump’s initiative may set the stage for a way forward towards peace, many hurdles still lie ahead. Excluding Hamas from the governance of the post-war raises a lot of key questions. It calls into question the representation and legitimacy of any future political arrangement for Gaza. Central issues, such as the fate of displaced Palestinians, are absent from the plan. This major omission is dangerous when looking for sustainable, long-term solutions.
