US outlines plan to halt Gaza war and start recovery efforts

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced support on Monday for a Washington-sponsored proposal to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza, though the absence of Hamas from the negotiations raised doubts over the plan’s prospects.

Speaking at a joint press conference at the White House, Trump said the two leaders were “beyond very close” to securing a peace agreement. He cautioned, however, that if Hamas rejected the proposals, Israel would have America’s full backing to take any measures it deemed necessary.

The 20-point plan, published by the White House, sets out:

• An immediate ceasefire
• A phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza
• The exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israel
• The disarmament of Hamas
• A transitional administration for Gaza overseen by an international body

Netanyahu told reporters that the plan met Israel’s war aims: the return of hostages, the dismantling of Hamas’ military capabilities, and guarantees that Gaza would no longer pose a threat to Israel.

Hamas, which launched the 7 October 2023 attacks that triggered the war, was not party to the talks. The group, still holding dozens of hostages, said via mediators in Qatar and Egypt that it would review the plan “in good faith” before issuing a response.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) welcomed Trump’s initiative and reiterated its willingness to work with Washington and international partners towards a comprehensive settlement. Netanyahu, however, remains opposed to the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state and has rejected a significant role for the PA in Gaza’s governance — points considered essential by Arab and Western interlocutors.

According to the proposals, Gaza’s daily administration would be handled by a technocratic Palestinian committee under the supervision of an international “board of peace” chaired by Trump and including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. The plan also gestures towards eventual Palestinian statehood if governance reforms are undertaken and reconstruction is well advanced, though it provides no timetable.

Analysts warned of significant hurdles. “The Qataris must now put pressure on Hamas, while Netanyahu still has to sell the plan to his security cabinet,” said Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The conflict has inflicted heavy losses: around 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 hostages taken during the October 2023 attacks, according to Israeli figures. Gaza’s health authorities report more than 66,000 Palestinians killed in Israel’s offensive, which has left much of the territory in ruins and created a severe humanitarian crisis.

Netanyahu faces increasing domestic pressure from hostage families and a war-weary public, while also risking the collapse of his governing coalition if far-right ministers view the concessions as excessive.

For Trump, who pledged during the 2024 election campaign to bring the war to an end, Monday’s announcement represents his most ambitious diplomatic intervention to date. Whether Hamas’ response will pave the way for implementation remains uncertain.