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By Dan Gooding and Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump released a comprehensive plan to end the Israel-Hamas conflict and establish governance for Gaza moving forward. The 20-point plan was revealed Monday afternoon before his news conference at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu said he agreed to the plan, which was unveiled shortly before the news conference. Trump said Israel has the "full backing" of the United States to take steps to defeat Hamas if it doesn't accept the proposed peace deal.
“Today is a historic day for peace,” Trump said. “Let’s call it eternal peace in the Middle East.”
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Why It Matters
Ending the conflict in the Middle East was one of Trump's priorities on his return to the White House, along with a similar goal in Europe with the war between Russia and Ukraine. The president has come to see himself as a peacemaker, having either been at the table himself, or represented by a member of his administration, in tackling other potential conflicts around the world.
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Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu Meeting: What We Know
The proposal, released by the White House just before Trump and Netanyahu spoke to reporters, calls for a temporary governing board led by Trump and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. It would not force residents to leave Gaza and says the war would end immediately if both sides agree.
Netanyahu warned that if Hamas rejects or fails to comply with the plan, “then Israel will finish the job by itself,” adding, “This could be done the easy way, or it could be done the hard way. But it will be done.”
What Is Donald Trump's Gaza Plan?
The 20-point plan reads in full:
- Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
- 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 7th, 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 energize 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 synthesize 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 demilitarization 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 Stabilization 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 revitalize 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 demilitarization 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 emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.
- While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize 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.
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When did Israel Strike Hamas in Qatar?
Israel struck the headquarters of Hamas’ political leadership in Qatar on September 9 as the group’s top figures gathered to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The strike on the territory of a U.S. ally was a stunning escalation and risked upending talks aimed at winding down the war and freeing hostages. No senior Hamas officials were killed in the strike.
The attack on an energy-rich Gulf nation hosting thousands of American troops, which has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas throughout the war and even before, was described by Trump as out of step with Israeli and U.S. interests. And Trump sought to move quickly to assuage his Qatari allies.
Qatar, meanwhile, condemned the strike as a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms” as smoke rose over its capital, Doha. Other key U.S. allies in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, promised their support to Qatar.
The White House said al Thani welcomed Netanyahu's “assurances” and emphasized “Qatar’s readiness to continue contributing meaningfully to regional security and stability.”
But even as the White House was spotlighting the apology, Israel’s far-right national security minister newly defended the decision to carry out Israel’s attack.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, a key coalition partner of Netanyahu’s, in a posting on X called the operation “an important, just and ethical attack.”
“It is very good that it happened,” he added.
Netanyahu Apologies to Qatar's Prime Minister Al Thani
Before the press conference, Netanyahu formally apologized to Qatar’s leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, for a recent strike on Hamas officials in the Gulf emirate that angered Arab leaders and drew U.S. criticism of Israel.
Trump described the exchange between the Israeli and Qatari leaders as a “heart-to-heart” call.
Which Countries Recognize a Palestinian State?
While the U.S. remains a staunch ally of Israel, multiple other Western nations have said they recognize the Palestinian state, including the United Kingdom, France, and Canada.
Recent additions to the list have dealt a blow to the government of Israel, which has responded by saying recognition of Palestinian statehood without specifications to clamp down on Hamas rewards the group, whose terrorists carried out the brutal October 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel.
What People Are Saying
Tuğçe Varol, an academic working on Russian and Turkish foreign policy, on X: "If Trump is to be the head of the newly established transitional administration in Gaza, it means Gaza is becoming a mandate of the USA. Blair is the Mandate Governor."
Mairav Zonszein, a senior analyst on Israel at the Crisis Group, on X: "A deal to end the war without a date for actual end to the war and without the consent of one side."
Dr. H.A. Hellyer, a geopolitics and security expert on the Middle East, on X: "A proposed International Stabilisation Force is meant to underpin the plan, but no details exist on who would provide it. Without a credible force to enforce security, ensure demilitarization, and guarantee aid delivery, the entire framework could unravel quickly."
What Happens Next?
Trump's plan to end Israel-Hamas war has been presented to Hamas, which is reviewing it in "good faith," officials have told the Associated Press.
Hamas must agree to the terms, Trump and Netanyahu said. If the agreement is signed by all parties, then "the war will immediately end", the text said, with all hostages to be returned within 72 hours.
Updates: 9/29/25, 3:06 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 9/29/25, 5 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information.
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