Opinion Trump’s 20-point plan on Gaza is a step forward; now the hard work begins

Ever since the January ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in March, attempts to stop the fighting in Gaza have stumbled and failed. Most recently, Israel’s strikes inside Qatar on a Hamas negotiation team had seemed to put an end to any realistic prospect of peace in the near term. Despite international opposition, Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza City last month. US President Donald Trump’s 20-point “peace plan” for Gaza, however, has raised hopes of a breakthrough. The plan, which Israel and key Arab countries have agreed to, includes an immediate ceasefire; exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners; phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza; delivery of aid; interim governance of Gaza by a Board of Peace “headed and chaired” by Trump; Hamas’s disarmament; a framework for reconstruction; and notably, a “credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” In contrast to Trump’s previous “Riviera” proposal, this plan says that Palestinians will not be forced to leave. Hamas has accepted several parts of the plan, including the release of the hostages for a ceasefire, while it deliberates on the other clauses. Trump ordered Israel to “immediately” stop bombing Gaza (which it hasn’t) as he wrote on social media: “Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.” These developments are extremely welcome. Trump’s plan, notwithstanding the challenges, points to a light at the end of the tunnel, the possibility of an end to a war that has killed at least 2,000 Israelis and 66,000 Palestinians.

Recent history shows that this is the most critical stage of the talks. In the past, whenever a deal has been close, the Israeli Prime Minister was quick to jeopardise it — not only with Hamas but also with Iran. The challenge now, therefore, is for Trump to ensure the implementation of the plan while resisting efforts by Netanyahu to sabotage the process. Another concerns the extent to which Hamas will agree to relinquish its role in Gaza. It has not committed to disarmament, nor has it agreed to withdraw fully from Palestinian politics. Instead, it has said that the future of the Gaza Strip should be decided on the basis of a “collective national position” and relevant international resolutions. Many details remain unclear — including who will sit on the proposed “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee” that will govern post-war Gaza, when it will be formed, and how many of its members will be Palestinian. Other grey areas include the timeline for new elections to the Palestinian Authority and whether Gazans will be allowed to take part.

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The international community, families of the hostages, and large sections of the Israeli public have been pleading for an end to the war. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, has been advocating for peace as part of the broader global consensus — he has lauded Trump’s plan. More than 700 days into the conflict, the prospect of a resolution has never seemed more real. Trump, Netanyahu and Hamas must now see it through. It will take a sure-footed diplomacy that is not diverted and distracted by the unrelenting demands for spectacle and performance in the social media age. The next steps will be watched. Trump’s 20-point plan is a start, now the hard work begins.