Hamas has 3-4 days to accept Gaza peace plan: Trump
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has given the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas "three or four days" to respond to his proposed peace and reconstruction plan for Gaza. The plan, which was unveiled in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, aims to end the two-year-long conflict in the region. Trump warned that if Hamas rejects the deal, they would "pay in hell."
Plan details
Key points of Trump's peace plan
The peace plan calls for the disarmament of Hamas and prohibits its future political role in Gaza. Instead, a technocratic transitional authority overseen by Trump would govern the territory. The proposal also demands Hamas to release 48 Israeli hostages within 72 hours of a ceasefire coming into effect. It offers a gradual withdrawal of Israeli military forces to a buffer zone and increased humanitarian aid for Gaza's 2.3 million residents.
Support and clarification
Netanyahu backs Trump's plan but says no Palestinian state agreed
Netanyahu has expressed support for the 20-point plan, which aligns with many of Israel's key demands. However, he clarified that the Israeli military would remain in most of Gaza and no Palestinian state was agreed upon during talks with Trump. "We will recover all our hostages, alive and well, while the [Israeli military] will remain in most of the Gaza Strip," he said. Hamas is currently reviewing the proposal internally and with allied Palestinian armed factions.
Global backing
Palestinian factions reject Trump's proposal initially
Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar have backed Trump's plan. A Qatari official said Qatar would meet Hamas and Turkey to discuss the proposal. The Palestinian Authority welcomed Trump's "sincere and determined efforts," but Palestinian factions allied with Hamas rejected it initially as biased toward Israel. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz called Trump's plan the "best chance for ending the war," while French President Emmanuel Macron praised his commitment to ending hostilities and securing hostage release.
Conflict toll
War's impact on Israel and Palestine
The war started after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing over a thousand people and taking hostages. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 66,000 Palestinians and injured more than 160,000. The conflict has left Gaza in ruins with deaths from hunger and malnutrition rising to 453. Famine was declared in parts of the territory last month due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.