Trump Pushes New Israel-Gaza Peace Plan Ahead of White House Talks

US President Donald Trump is set to discuss a new peace proposal to end the Israel-Gaza conflict with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday.

Key Points of the Proposed Plan

• Hostage Release: All hostages in Gaza to be released within 48 hours of a confirmed deal.

• Prisoner Exchange: Israel to free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences.

• Hamas Amnesty: Members committing to peace will receive amnesty and safe passage out of Gaza; all Hamas military structures will be dismantled.

• Gaza Governance: IDF to gradually withdraw, with Gaza governed by an interim transitional government.

• Future Palestinian Role: Plan acknowledges Palestinian aspirations for a future state and a role for the Palestinian Authority after reforms.

This marks a shift from previous Trump proposals, which had suggested relocating Gaza’s population and redeveloping the area as a US-owned “riviera.”

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Political Challenges

• Netanyahu: While Trump believes a deal is possible, Netanyahu says it’s “not been finalised yet.”

• Israeli Hardliners: Far-right ministers such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir oppose any mention of a Palestinian state or a role for the PA, demanding Hamas’s decisive defeat.

• Opposition Support: Former PM Yair Lapid backs a hostage deal and end to the war, giving Netanyahu a potential parliamentary “safety net.”

Public pressure is mounting in Israel to end the conflict, with families of 48 remaining hostages seeking resolution.

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US Involvement

• Trump has expressed frustration with Israeli air strikes on Qatar and opposes annexation of the West Bank.

• He met with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey at the UN General Assembly, calling it his “most important meeting of the day.”

• US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff expressed hope for a breakthrough soon.

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Context of the Conflict

• The current Israeli military campaign was in response to the Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages.

• Gaza has seen over 66,000 fatalities due to Israeli attacks, with UN reports confirming famine conditions and a commission accusing Israel of genocide (which Israel rejects).

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Bottom Line: Trump’s peace plan represents a potential shift in US and Israeli policy, emphasizing hostage release, Gaza governance reforms, and a long-term Palestinian role, but faces significant opposition from Israeli hardliners.