US President Donald Trump has given a comprehensive road map to end Israel’s aggression and atrocities in Gaza, after about two years of massacre in the Gaza Strip.
The plan which has now been shrunken to 20 points from 21 was presented to the Arab and Muslim leaders by the US president in a meeting last week. In a joint statement, the Muslim leaders have accepted the plan which — with ifs and buts — leads to Palestine’s statehood.
Addressing a news conference, President Trump said on Monday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to his 20-point plan to end Gaza war under which Israel will not annex or occupy the Palestinian strip, a move welcomed by Pakistan.
After holding a meeting with Netanyahu at the White House, he said it could be “potentially one of the great days ever in civilisation.”
Trump said countries surrounding Israel – like Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar – and other Arab and Muslim countries have expressed support for the deal, citing Pakistan and Indonesia as examples of countries that do not recognise Israel’s existence.
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“The Prime Minister of Pakistan [Shehbaz Sharif] and [Pakistan] Field Marshal [Syed Asim Munir] back this 100 percent,” Trump said.
Over 66,000 Palestinians have been killed and 168,346 others wounded in the Israeli war, which began on October 7, 2023, with thousands more believed to be buried under rubble.
The Trump’s 20-point agenda to end the Gaza conflict outlines a comprehensive plan, proposing a phased approach that covers security, governance, and economic development. Though many have raised voice against this plan due to compromising and ruling out Gazans’ rights, autonomy and priorities.
The plan proposes an immediate end to the war if both sides agree to it. This would involve a temporary suspension of all military operations while Israeli forces withdraw to a designated line. The Israeli forces’ withdrawal is planned in three phases without specifying a time.
Within 72 hours of the agreement, all hostages held by Hamas, whether alive or deceased, must be released.
In return, Israel will release 250 life-sentence prisoners and 1,700 Gazan detainees, out thousands of Palestinians detained without running a proper trial. For every deceased Israeli hostage’s remains returned, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and give up their weapons will be granted amnesty. Those who want to leave Gaza will be given a safe passage.
The Trump’s proposed plan mentions that full aid will be sent into Gaza immediately upon the plan’s acceptance.
A major economic plan, overseen by President Trump, will be created to rebuild and revitalise Gaza, creating jobs and opportunity.
Gaza will be temporarily run by a non-political committee of Palestinians and international experts.
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This committee will be supervised by a new international body called the “Board of Peace,” chaired by President Trump himself. This body will handle the rebuilding of Gaza. However, Hamas will have no role in the governance of Gaza.
All military infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon factories, will be destroyed and not rebuilt, it proposed.
An independent monitoring process will oversee the demilitarisation of Gaza, including a buy-back programme for weapons.
A temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) will be deployed to train and support vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza. This force will work with Israel and Egypt to secure borders and prevent weapons from entering Gaza.
Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will progressively hand over control to the ISF. A security perimeter will remain until Gaza is deemed secure.
If the plan is successful, it could lead to a credible path toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood, with a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political future.
Here is the 20-point Gaza peace plan:
Gaza will be a deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours.
Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.
If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.
Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7, 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.
Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement.
Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.
A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energise Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesise the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.
A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.
No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.
Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarisation of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.
A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.
The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalise Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.
Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarisation that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.
In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.
An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasising the benefits that can be derived from peace.
While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform programme is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognise as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.
The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.
The above article was contributed by Baseer Ahmed, Head of Political Desk at media (Digital).
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