Trump plan to end war trades on Palestinian lives, rights to their land

US president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu jointly announced a 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, which includes the complete disarmament of Hamas, the swapping of hostages and prisoners, and a staged Israeli withdrawal; Trump warned that if Hamas refused the deal Israel would have his full support to annihilate the group, but the plan leaves no role for Palestinians in postwar governance, and the entire plan appears to be bargaining with Palestinian lives as relief is promised only on those terms.

The joint appearance at the White House was framed as a historic breakthrough and a new chapter for the Middle East, yet the substance of the plan closely reflects Israeli objectives, while Palestinians themselves, particularly Hamas, were not involved in drafting it.

Reports indicated that Hamas had not even received the plan before its public announcement and only later was it delivered through Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries. The absence of consultation with the group central to the conflict has raised immediate questions about whether the proposal has any realistic chance of implementation.

The provisions of the plan call for Hamas to disarm completely and renounce governance in the strip, offering amnesty only to those who pledge peaceful coexistence or safe passage to third countries for others.

A temporary governing board is to be established, with Trump himself assuming the role of chair alongside former British prime minister Tony Blair, thereby sidelining Palestinian political leaders who would otherwise be expected to play a role in Gaza’s future. The draft also envisages an international oversight body while Israel retains broad security responsibilities, including a perimeter presence, which further consolidates Israeli control despite claims of transition.

While the plan promotes itself as a vehicle for peace, the conditions outlined tilt heavily towards Israel’s war aims of dismantling Hamas both militarily and politically, ensuring Gaza remains demilitarised, and removing Palestinian agency in decision-making.

Netanyahu insisted that the goals were non-negotiable, making clear that Israel would act alone if necessary. This uncompromising tone underscores the one-sided nature of the initiative, which critics argue fails to account for the catastrophic humanitarian toll already endured by Palestinians.

The war in Gaza, triggered by the 7 October 2023 attack, has devastated the enclave, with Israeli offensives killing more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injuring over 160,000.

Israel’s blockade and bombardment have created conditions of famine and widespread displacement, with Gaza’s civilian population bearing the brunt of the conflict. Yet the plan makes humanitarian relief contingent upon Hamas’s acceptance of Israel’s demands, effectively placing survival itself as a bargaining chip.

Arab and Muslim states, including Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE, cautiously welcomed the announcement, as did the Palestinian Authority, though groups allied to Hamas such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad dismissed it as a recipe for further conflict.

The international community remains divided, with some Western nations recently recognising Palestinian statehood in defiance of US and Israeli opposition, while Trump and Netanyahu press ahead with a blueprint that appears designed to entrench Israeli dominance.