US President Donald Trump introduced a comprehensive ceasefire and post-war governance plan at the United Nations, aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Their proposed 21-point normalization plan has triggered the most serious public and private debate so far among Arab states and Israeli officials. For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already expressed skepticism about key parts of the outline. Along the way he signaled that he will not accept all the pieces as initially presented.
Netanyahu personally coordinated the detailed 21-point plan in advance of its release. It has been the victim of skepticism from all sides within Israel. Netanyahu personally pressed the finer points of the plan in meetings with Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner. What’s likely to happen Unfortunately, though, he’s likely to seek changes before any deal is finalized.
“Netanyahu will not accept all of the outline as it has been initially published,” stated an Israeli official familiar with the discussions. This is a testament to the immense difficulty of balancing international diplomacy with the demands of domestic political pressures. Yet Netanyahu’s far-right political allies, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, are doubling down with their own extreme threats. They threaten to bring down the government if the war concludes without a full military victory of Hamas.
The ministry of health in Gaza has released some truly incredible news. Their grave triggers including the death toll sadly rising over 66,000 from increasing violence. An Israeli airstrike targeting senior Hamas leaders in Doha earlier this month disrupted tentative negotiations and added urgency to the situation. Furthermore, a recent decision to intensify assaults on Gaza City has provoked outrage, particularly since several hostages are believed to be held in that area.
Families of the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas to protest in Central Park, NYC. They called for an end to the endless state of war. Facing mounting emotions and outrage with every passing day, devastated families have reported increasing public frustration with Netanyahu’s steering of this crisis. Instead, Netanyahu made the decision to bomb Matan and the other hostages. He chose death over life. Ilana Gritzweski, a relative of one of the hostages, told President Trump to come out stronger. “You alone have the power to end this war and bring all the hostages home,” she told him.
That last round of negotiations broke down in late July. The US, to everybody’s surprise, walked out of the negotiations, raising tensions with all parties. Right now everything Netanyahu is doing is about managing international expectations. Simultaneously, he is facing enormous domestic political pressures as he introduces to this complicated dance.
In response to concerns regarding his authority in this matter, Ben Gvir articulated the sentiments of his political faction by stating, “Mr. Prime Minister, you do not have a mandate to end the war without a complete defeat of Hamas.” This highlights the real struggle within Netanyahu’s governing coalition as he tries to find a middle ground between pursuing paths to peace and hardline occupier positions.
Trump remains optimistic about the potential for resolution in the region, stating, “We have a real chance for GREATNESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.” He further emphasized the collaborative nature of the efforts: “ALL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, FIRST TIME EVER. WE WILL GET IT DONE!!!”
While Netanyahu remains still deeply to discuss on his direction, he expressed a certain level of hope much more these areas. “We’re working on it. It’s not been finalized yet,” he remarked, highlighting that efforts are ongoing but not yet complete.
Our target was Hamas—not what was past it, Netanyahu concluded, echoing his insistence that his goal is to eliminate or at least reduce the immediate threat from the group.
