The Trump administration has released a detailed 21-point peace plan to solve the years-long crisis in Gaza. Former President Donald Trump added to those rosy expectations, saying a deal is “very, very close.” U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff first unveiled the plan in front of Arab states at an Arab and Israeli normalizer session at the UN General Assembly. Reid also allowed for some optimism that a big deal might be reached in just a few days.
The peace plan focuses primarily on this pivotal demand. It requires the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas within 48 hours after the deal is made. This provision is intended to build goodwill and help open the door for more negotiations to come. Only an estimated 20 hostages are thought to be still alive. This important understanding increases the urgency for their release to be included in the peace process.
In addition to bringing home the hostages, the plan lays out a future framework for what Gaza should look like after the fighting has ended. It supports the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for independent statehood. Yet, it does the intentional work of not supporting the creation of a completely autonomous Palestinian nation. Instead, it proposes a framework that could lead to some form of Palestinian self-rule through two levels of interim governance: an overarching international body and a Palestinian committee.
The plan is bold but incomplete. It fails to say at what point the international body will transfer leadership control to the Palestinian Authority (PA). It very clearly excludes any coerced removal of Gaza’s entire civilian population. In the past week, over 700,000 residents have already evacuated from Gaza City, following evacuation orders.
Witkoff expressed his optimism about moving forward in negotiations, focusing on the importance of all parties working together toward a common goal with all stakeholders in the region.
“We’re hopeful and, I might say, even confident that in the coming days we’ll be able to announce some sort of breakthrough,” – Steve Witkoff.
The Trump Administration did a great job underscoring the importance of these discussions, making them last for four full days. He stressed the administration’s focus on getting to a “Successfully Completed Agreement.”
“Intense negotiations have been going on for four days and will continue for as long as necessary in order to get a Successfully Completed Agreement,” – Donald Trump.
The proposal calls for a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza in return for the release of hostages. This method aims to achieve equilibrium between the issues of security and humanitarian priorities. Critics doubt its implementation and impact.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been adamantly opposed to any concessions that might lead to Palestinian statehood. He thinks that doing so would open a Pandora’s Box of dangerous precedents.
“Giving the Palestinians a state a mile from Jerusalem is like giving al-Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11,” – Benjamin Netanyahu.
With talks still ongoing, political analysts on all sides are watching every new development to see what happens with this peace plan. The humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza highlights how difficult work ahead will be. With renewed diplomatic efforts and international engagement, there remains cautious optimism about reaching an agreement that can bring lasting peace to the region.
