WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday laid out a 20-point proposal supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that would end the war in Gaza and free remaining hostages, leaning heavily into conditions that Hamas has previously rejected.
The U.S. president, who has become increasingly frustrated by the bloody conflict, seems to be betting that the militants are now so decimated that they have no choice but to accept what he and Netanyahu are framing as a last, best offer.
“If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President, or if they supposedly accept it and then do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself,” Netanyahu said after meeting with Trump at the White House. “This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done.”
Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief presented Trump’s proposal to Hamas negotiators, who are now reviewing it in “good faith,” according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The Palestinian government in the occupied West Bank said it welcomed Trump’s plan to end the war and pledged to implement the reforms called for in his plan. And the governments of Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement applauding Trump's proposal.
While Trump claimed he is now on the precipice of victory in his long effort to forge peace, the prospects of a finding an endgame to a war that is coming up on the start of its third year still appeared shaky. Many points of tension remain.
There's little mention of the goal of Palestinian statehood, what many in the region and beyond say is the linchpin for long-term peace. The proposal largely sidelines the Palestinian Authority until it completes vast reforms. And a requirement for Hamas to disarm has been dismissed as a non-starter in earlier negotiations.
Trump's plan calls for establishing a temporary governing committee that would be headed by Trump and include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. A Palestinian committee of technocrats would oversee civilian affairs, with power handed over later to a reformed Palestinian Authority.
The plan does not require people to leave the Gaza Strip as laid out in an earlier Trump plan roundly rejected by Palestinians and regional leaders.
It does call for all remaining hostages to be released by Hamas within 72 hours of Israel accepting the plan, an effort that would seem difficult to complete with the captives believed to be spread throughout the territory.
Hundreds of Palestinians, including many serving life sentences, will be released by Israel, according to the proposal.
“I think we are beyond very close,” Trump said. “We're not quite finished. We have to get Hamas.”
While Hamas has said in the past that it would agree to step back from governing Gaza, the militant group has refused to disarm, something Netanyahu has long demanded as part of any long-term truce to end the war.
The president promised Netanyahu that Israel would have his administration’s “full backing” to further decimate Hamas if the group doesn’t agree to the proposal.
“This is a different Hamas,” Trump said. “Their leadership has been killed three times over. So you’re really dealing with different people.”
Netanyahu expresses regret to Qatar
Netanyahu on Monday also attempted to mend fences with Qatar, the key Hamas interlocutor and an important U.S. ally.
He expressed his regret to his Qatari counterpart for a Sept. 9 military strike targeting Hamas officials in the Gulf emirate that infuriated Arab leaders and triggered rare criticism by the U.S. of Israel.
Netanyahu made the call to Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, as he met with Trump. Trump described the exchange between the Israeli and Qatari leaders as a “heart-to-heart” call.
“As a first step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman,” the White House said in a statement. “He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.”
Israel stuck the headquarters of Hamas’ political leadership in Qatar as the group’s top figures gathered to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
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.
The White House said Sheik Mohammed 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 the 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's acquiescence comes at a delicate moment
The White House talks, and apology from Netanyahu, come at a tenuous moment. Israel is increasingly isolated, losing support from many countries that were long its steadfast allies. At home, Netanyahu’s governing coalition appears more fragile than ever. And the White House is showing signs of impatience.
It remains to be seen how Netanyahu will be able to justify to far-right members of his coalition his acceptance of the proposal after promising to press against the militant organization until it was “eliminated.”
The Trump plan indicates that once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who "commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty." The plan adds that members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza would be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
Trump has been growing more frustrated with conflict
Trump joined forces with Netanyahu during Israel's brief war with Iran in June, ordering U.S. stealth bombers to strike three nuclear sites, and he's supported the Israeli leader during his corruption trial, describing the case as a “witch hunt.” Monday's visit was Netanyahu's fourth to the White House in the eight months since the start of Trump's second term.
But the relationship has become more tense lately. Trump was frustrated by Israel's failed strike on Hamas officials in Qatar.
Last week, Trump vowed to prevent Israel from annexing the West Bank — an idea promoted by some of Netanyahu's hard-line governing partners. The international community opposes annexation, saying it would destroy hopes for a Palestinian state.
Hamas is believed to be holding 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed by Israel to be alive. The militant group has previously demanded Israel agree to end the war and withdraw from all of Gaza as part of any permanent ceasefire.
Trump discussed the plan with Arab and Islamic leaders in New York last week on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. He hailed the deal, if it coalesces, as a potential breakthrough moment that would usher in lasting peace and an era prosperity in the Middle East.
“I challenge the Palestinians to take responsibility for their destiny because that’s what we’re giving them. We’re giving them responsibility for their destiny,” he said.
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Geller reported from New York, and Mednick reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Sam Magdy in Cairo; Josef Federman in Jerusalem; Joseph Krauss in Ottawa, Ontario; Darlene Superville, Seung Min Kim, Mathew Lee, Chris Megerian, Will Weissert and Tia Goldenberg in Washington; and Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations contributed to this report.