Newsletters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave Hamas three to four days to accept a U.S.-backed peace plan for Gaza, warning of "a very sad end" if the militant group rejects the proposal that he said was close to ending the two-year-old conflict.
The 20-point "Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict" was shared with Hamas through mediators Qatar and Egypt late Monday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared alongside Trump at the White House and endorsed the document, saying it satisfied Israel's war aims.
"We're just waiting for Hamas," Trump told reporters as he left the White House.
"Hamas is either going to be doing it or not, and if it's not, it's going to be a very sad end," he said.
The proposal specifies an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of all hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and the introduction of a transitional government led by an international body.
Hamas was not involved in the negotiations that led to the proposal. However, an official briefed on the talks told Reuters on Tuesday that the group "would review it in good faith and provide a response."
A source close to Hamas told Reuters the plan was "completely biased to Israel" and imposed "impossible conditions" that aimed to eliminate the group.
The deal now before Hamas differs significantly from what the U.S. and Muslim majority, Arab countries had previously agreed on, due to Netanyahu's intervention, sources familiar with the process told Axios on Tuesday.
On Sunday, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner met for six hours with Netanyahu and his confidant Ron Dermer. Netanyahu negotiated several edits, particularly on conditions and the timetable for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza.
The new proposal ties Israel's withdrawal to progress in disarming Hamas and gives Israel veto power over the process. Even if all conditions are met, Israeli forces would remain within a security perimeter inside Gaza "until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat."
Officials from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Türkiye were reportedly furious over the changes, according to sources with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke to Axios.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed Trump's announcement, according to a statement from a UN spokesperson.
"The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement yesterday by U.S. President Trump, intended to achieve a ceasefire and sustainable peace for Gaza and for the region. He further appreciates the important role of Arab and Muslim states in working to this end. It is now crucial that all parties commit to an agreement and its implementation," the statement said.
The UN chief reiterated his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, unlimited humanitarian aid access throughout Gaza, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
"The United Nations remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting all efforts that promote peace, stability, and a more hopeful future for the people of Palestine and Israel and across the region," the statement noted.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority shows cautious optimism, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcoming Trump's "efforts to end the war" and expressing "confidence in his ability to find a path toward peace" — a notably positive statement considering the Palestinian Authority outright rejected Trump's peace plan during his first term.
"What Trump has proposed is the full adoption of all Israeli conditions, which do not grant the Palestinian people or the residents of the Gaza Strip any legitimate rights," a Palestinian official who asked not to be named told Reuters.
Trump's plan states that "within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned." It's unclear whether Netanyahu's acceptance on Monday started the clock.
Asked whether there was scope for further talks on the proposal, Trump replied: "Not much."
If Hamas rejects the deal, the plan includes a contingency: aid operations would proceed in "terror-free areas" handed over by Israel to an interim security force.
Trump was more direct in his warning: "If Hamas rejects the deal, Bibi, you will have our full backing to do what you have to do."
1 min read
2 min read
