President Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed a sweeping, 20-point White House plan that administration officials believe can end Israel’s war in Gaza.
Netanyahu and Trump have warned Hamas to accept the deal, which would see the militant group relinquish its arms and role in Gaza politics.
Both leaders have threatened that if Hamas does not accept the US president’s terms, then Trump will let Israel “finish the job.” The militant group says it is studying the proposal.
“This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done,” Netanyahu said.
The president’s latest proposal — walking back his previous goal of expelling Palestinians — follows a growing embrace of Palestinian statehood in defiance of American and Israeli opposition.
Trump’s plan would appoint him as the chair of a “board of peace” serving as an oversight body led by a committee that includes former British prime minister Tony Blair.
Netanyahu’s visit to the White House marks his fourth trip to Washington since Trump returned to office, with Israel once more seeking to shore up U.S. support amid growing international hostility to the devastation in Gaza.
Turkey’s Erdogan hails Trump’s efforts to end Gaza war
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan this morning praised Donald Trump’s “efforts and leadership” to end the war in Gaza, after the US leader secured Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support for a U.S.-sponsored peace proposal.
The White House released a 20-point plan that would see an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas disarmament and a transitional government led by an international body.
“I commend U.S. president Donald Trump’s efforts and leadership aimed at halting the bloodshed in Gaza and achieving a ceasefire,” said Erdogan, who met Trump at the White House for the first time in six years last week.
Turkey would continue to contribute to the process “with a view to establishing a just and lasting peace acceptable to all parties,” he added on X.
Turkey has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s two-year assault on Gaza and halted all trade with Israel.
Netanyahu apologises to Qatar for Doha attack
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologised to his Qatari counterpart for Israel’s attack in Doha, which drew widespread condemnation.
Mr Netanyahu apologised during a telephone call from the White House, according to reports.
The call to Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani came as Netanyahu met with US president Donald Trump in Washington.
“As a first step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman,” a White House statement said.
“He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.”
At least five lower-ranking Hamas members and a Qatari security official were killed in the 9 September attack, which targeted senior Hamas figures engaged in negotiations over a US-backed ceasefire proposal.
India’s Modi welcomes Trump’s Gaza plan
Prime minister Narendra Modi said India welcomes US president Donald Trump’s announcement of the “comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict”.
In a post on X, the Indian leader said that the plan provides a “viable pathway to long-term and sustainable peace, security and development for the Palestinian and Israeli people, as also for the larger West Asian region”.
“We hope that all concerned will come together behind President Trump’s initiative and support this effort to end conflict and secure peace.”
Congress members tell Rubio to protect Gaza flotilla
Member of Congress Rashida Tlaib has signed a letter along with 18 other members, urging secretary of state Marco Rubia to ensure the safe passage of the Global Sumud flotilla.
Tlaib, in a post on X, said the flotilla is bringing humanitarian aid to Palestinians starved to death by Israel in Gaza and it must be “fully protected” from attack.
“The law is clear: any attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla or its civilian crew is a clear and blatant violation of international law,” the letter read.
“The United States has an obligation to protect its citizens from foreign attack. We call on you to deter any further hostile actions against the flotilla and ensure the successful completion of its humanitarian mission.”
Italy and Spain have deployed navy ships to accompany the flotilla in case of rescue or humanitarian needs, but have said they will not engage militarily.
Greece’s coastguard also monitored progress while the flotilla was in its rescue area, while Turkey deployed drones to monitor the ships.
In pics: Palestinians run for cover during an Israeli airstrike on a building in Gaza City
Drones from Turkey circle Gaza aid flotilla
Turkey has joined Spain, Italy and Greece in monitoring an international flotilla carrying aid for Gaza that was sailing east across the Mediterranean Sea despite warnings from Israel to stop the mission.
Flight tracking websites showed that three long-endurance drones originating from Turkey’s Corlu airbase have been circling over the flotilla for three days, highlighting the growing international interest in the boats which have vowed to breach an Israeli naval blockade around the embattled Gaza Strip.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of civilian boats carrying parliamentarians, lawyers and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, was still hundreds of miles off the Gaza coastline yesterday.
But it was approaching an area where other flotillas have previously been intercepted, people on board said.
Italy and Spain have deployed navy ships to accompany the flotilla in case of rescue or humanitarian needs, but have said they will not engage militarily. Greece’s coastguard had also monitored progress while the flotilla was in its rescue area.
Trump’s Middle East envoy ‘hopeful’ about Gaza plan
Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy appointed by Donald Trump this year, told reporters that he has a positive feeling towards the Gaza peace plan.
“We have to set up success for them… This is a complicated deal to hand off from one government to another,” Witkoff told reporters.
“All of the stakeholders in this…. they want to see it happen. And the president believes it’s going to happen, and is dug in. That’s what really gives me hope. He gets to the finish line,” Witkoff added.
Analysis: Trump launches ‘incredible’ proposal for peace in Gaza. But will it go anywhere?
Notably absent in Trump’s plan: No provision or guarantees for the creation of a Palestinian state— a key demand embraced by a wave of countries as the slaughter in Gaza reaches unprecedented proportions.
Instead, Trump’s plan somewhat confusingly suggests that, if and when Hamas is removed from power, and the Palestinian Authority “reforms” itself to be allowed back into some role of governance, then, and only then, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
But again, no guarantees. No timelines. No details.
VIDEO: Trump calls unconfirmed peace deal ‘one of the great days in the history of civilization’
‘The will negotiate endlessly’: Foreign policy experts skeptical Trump plan will end war
Some commentators are skeptical that the Trump-Netanyahu plan to end the Gaza war really will put a stop to the devastating, two-year-old conflict.
Speaking to Abby Phillip on CNN on Monday evening, Council on Foreign Relations fellow Max Book predicted the deal, negotiated without one of its key parties, Hamas, could mean “they will negotiate endlessly while Israeli troops continue advancing in Gaza.”
“It basically requires their unconditional surrender,” Boot said of the Hamas role in the deal. “They’re unlikely to do that.”
Ana Kasparian, of The Young Turks show, warned the CNN panel that the deal could lead to even further escalation.
“I just think that this is essentially setting up a situation in which Israel can continue on with what they’ve been doing, essentially take over the Gaza Strip, annex the West Bank, and point to Hamas rejecting the deal as their excuse to do so,” she said.
