World and regional powers broadly welcomed US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the Gaza war, pressing Hamas to accept the terms while Israel’s far-right coalition partners slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his conditional backing of the deal.
A plan 'tailored for Netanyahu'
Political analysts however are viewing the Trump Plan with considerable scepticism and have expressed concerns that it may provide Hamas with a pretext to reject it, something that, as both Trump and Netanyahu have clearly indicated, would pave the way for Israel to launch a full-scale and final assault on Gaza, with Trump’s full backing.
Analysts believe the Trump Plan is "tailor-made" to suit Israel’s interests, as it secures its two major objectives, which it has so far failed to achieve through its military operations: namely, the return of all hostages and the complete neutralisation of Hamas. They also point out that the Trump Plan makes absolutely no mention of recognising a Palestinian state, which could have been a meaningful "gain" for the Palestinians.
Gradual withdrawal of Israeli military
The plan will see the release of all remaining Israeli hostages within 72 hours, the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli military from Gaza, excluding forces that would remain in a “buffer zone” within Gaza’s borders. Hamas will disarm and have no role in the Strip’s future, which will see a transitional governing board take over, along with an international stabilisation force that will train a new local Palestinian police force. The international board will be led by Trump and include former British PM Tony Blair. Palestinian reforms will pave the way for “Palestinian self-determination and statehood” while the US will lead new efforts for a peaceful political future between Israel and Palestine.
US backs Israel to ‘finish the job’ if Hamas rejects plan
During the peace plan’s announcement, Trump and Netanyahu made clear that they were not offering Hamas a choice in the matter. If the group refused, Trump told reporters, “Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas.
“But I hope that we’re going to have a deal for peace, and if Hamas rejects the deal … Bibi, you’d have our full backing to do what you would have to do.”
Trump effectively issued a 3–4 day ultimatum to Hamas to accept his plan, stressing that the window for negotiations is limited, as the key demands remain clear: the release of all hostages and “good behaviour” on the part of the organisation. “We’re waiting for Hamas’ response,” the US President said pointedly.
Netanyahu’s reply left little room for doubt as to what would happen next if Hamas did not agree to the plan: “If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr President, or if they supposedly accept it and then do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself. This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done.”
Hamas has yet to publicly comment on the plan. According to reports, the Qatari prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief met Hamas negotiators in Doha on Monday to share the plan with them. Hamas said it was studying the proposal “in good faith”.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), an armed group fighting alongside Hamas, described the plan as a “recipe for continued aggression against the Palestinian people” that would blow up the region. The PIJ said Israel is attempting, through the United States, to impose what it could not achieve through the war, reported Al Jazeera.
The Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, welcomed the “sincere and tireless efforts to end the war on Gaza” and affirmed its confidence in Trump’s ability to find a path to peace.
Global support for peace
Despite wider geopolitical frictions, major political powers aligned around the need for a negotiated end to the death and destruction taking place in the region.
European governments, including the EU leadership and key capitals such as Berlin and Paris, welcomed the plan as the most viable route to halt fighting and free captives, urging Hamas to respond positively and swiftly. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the deal was a “unique opportunity to end the horrific war”. French President Emmanuel Macron said he expected Israel to “engage resolutely” on this basis, adding that Hamas had “no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan”. British PM Keir Starmer called on all sides to come together to work with the US “to finalise the agreement and bring it into reality”. Spain, one of Israel’s biggest critics on Gaza, welcomed Trump’s peace proposal. “We must put an end to so much suffering,” said Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez.
A wider group of Arab and Muslim-majority states lauded Trump’s leadership, offering qualified backing of the plan, focused on humanitarian access, protection against displacement, and eventual Israeli withdrawal within a framework pointing to a two-state outcome, where Gaza would be fully integrated with the West Bank. Their positions were encapsulated in a joint statement by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates.
Moscow also signalled support in principle. The Kremlin said it “hopes” the ceasefire plan can be implemented, while China and India also supported the effort for de-escalation.
Israel’s far-right coalition partners slam proposal
According to the Financial Times, Israeli hardliners strongly reject a number of the plan’s 20 points, including the provision for an international presence.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the peace proposal as a “resounding diplomatic failure” that will “end in tears”.
Smotrich poured scorn on the idea of “entrusting our security to foreigners”, holding out hope that Hamas’ intransigence would shoot the deal down and allow Israel to resume its offensive.
In a Facebook video from Washington, Netanyahu claimed he had “turned the tables” on Hamas, after the “entire world, including the Arab and Muslim world” had accepted Israel’s conditions for ending the war, referring specifically to the fact that the Israeli military would remain inside “most of Gaza”. He also stressed that the plan does not include recognition of a Palestinian state.
Expressing support for the plan, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid highlighted that the 20-point plan “was actually already on the table a year and a half ago”. He lamented the fact that in the intervening period, so many lives of hostages and Israeli soldiers were lost, while increasing international condemnation of Israel had created a diplomatic crisis.