Trump unveils 20-point Gaza peace plan with focus on ceasefire, governance and reconstruction

After intense speculation, the White House published a 20-point peace plan aimed at resolving the nearly two-year war in Gaza. The proposal sets forth a framework for ending hostilities, securing hostage releases, and determining temporary governance of the territory.

Under the plan, fighting would cease immediately if both Israel and Hamas accept the deal, and all hostages, living or dead, would be released within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance.

In return, Israel would free 250 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians detained since October 7, 2023, including women and children. For each Israeli hostage whose remains are handed over, Israel would return the remains of 15 Gazan detainees.

The proposal demands Hamas’s disarmament, dismantling of its military infrastructure, and exclusion from governance. Members willing to renounce violence might receive amnesty; those wanting to leave Gaza would be allowed safe passage.

In the interim, Gaza would be governed by a transitional committee of technocrats and Palestinians, with oversight by a newly formed “Board of Peace” led by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Donald Trump.

An international security force would secure Gaza and help train local police. Israel, meanwhile, would gradually withdraw, retaining a security perimeter presence until full withdrawal is achieved under agreed milestones.

The plan does not stipulate immediate full withdrawal, but a staged pullback tied to conditions.

The proposal also envisions reconstruction, humanitarian aid, and governance reforms. Aid would be delivered by neutral international bodies like the UN and Red Crescent.

The Board of Peace would control funding and set the framework for rebuilding infrastructure, water, electricity, health systems, and municipal services. A special economic zone in Gaza is proposed, along with incentives to attract investment.

In the longer term, the plan contemplates a restructured Palestinian Authority eventually assuming control of Gaza, contingent on fulfilling required reforms. It suggests that these conditions may open a possible pathway toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood.

At a joint press conference, Trump called the plan “historic,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Israel would “finish the job” if Hamas rejects or fails to comply with the agreement.

Netanyahu has historically opposed Palestinian statehood; that part of the proposal may face stiff resistance.

Much now depends on whether Hamas accepts the plan’s terms. If it rejects them, the proposal says Israel may continue military operations in “terror-free” zones handed back to control.

This peace plan is notable not only for its depth and scope, but for how it frames the governance of Gaza in transition: removing Hamas from power, instituting international supervision, and positioning the Palestinian Authority as a future custodian—conditions that many stakeholders will scrutinize and contest in the days ahead.