Mediators met in Egypt as President Donald Trump pushed for approval of his 20-point Gaza peace proposal. Hamas has accepted parts of the plan but is expected to negotiate items such as Gaza’s future governance and Palestinian rights after the hostages are released and Israeli forces withdraw. Trump warned of “massive bloodshed” if the agreement’s steps are not implemented quickly, and said the first phase should be completed soon.
1) Hostage release
Under the proposal, Hamas has committed to releasing the remaining Israeli hostages. The deal specifies a staged exchange: all living and deceased hostages would be freed within 72 hours of a ceasefire, in return for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The text outlines that once all hostages are returned, Israel would release hundreds more detainees, including those serving life sentences and many detained after October 7, 2023, with explicit protections for women and children detained in that context. Hamas’s public statement references the exchange formula contained in the proposal, but negotiations are expected over timing and related political conditions.
2) Israeli withdrawal and security arrangements
Israel says it will not fully pull back until Hamas is disarmed and Gaza is cleared of militant infrastructure, yet the plan reportedly includes an initial withdrawal line. Questions remain about the extent and pace of any pullback; Israeli forces may maintain a security buffer around Gaza for an interim period. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the prospect of returning hostages without a full withdrawal from the Strip, calling the outcome real and significant. Independent population and displacement considerations highlight that nearly 900,000 Palestinians would eventually need to return to their homes, a factor not explicitly addressed in Trump’s withdrawal map.
3) Timeline and compliance
The plan sets ambitious timelines but acknowledges practical obstacles. Some Hamas officials said they would need days or weeks to locate certain bodies, and others signaled there are outstanding points that require further negotiation. A central sticking point is disarmament; Hamas’s response did not explicitly address turning over weapons, raising uncertainty about enforcement and the group’s internal ability to agree to the plan’s terms.
4) Interim governance and reconstruction
Trump’s proposal envisions Gaza being managed temporarily by a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee tasked with municipal services and reconstruction. This transitional body would combine qualified Palestinians with international experts and operate under oversight from a so-called Board of Peace, which could include international figures such as Tony Blair. The board would handle funding and set governance standards aimed at restoring services, attracting investment, and preparing Gaza for eventual transfer to reformed Palestinian institutions.
5) Role and future of Hamas
The proposal demands that Hamas renounce any role in Gaza’s future governance and decommission its military capabilities. Members who commit to peaceful coexistence and disarmament would be offered amnesty, while others wishing to leave would be provided safe passage to third countries. The plan also calls for the destruction of military infrastructure, including tunnels and weapons production sites, and prohibits rebuilding those capabilities.
Conclusion
The draft peace framework lays out concrete exchanges, governance arrangements, and security conditions, but it leaves significant details unresolved: enforceability of disarmament, the exact scope of an Israeli pullback, timelines for reconstruction, and how displaced Palestinians will be rehoused. Negotiations in Egypt aim to bridge those gaps, but the plan’s success depends on rapid implementation and parties’ willingness to accept hard compromises.
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