Overview of the Trump Gaza Peace Plan
President Donald Trump on Monday released a 20-point effort aimed at ending the war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza. The plan hinges on Hamas accepting the terms and envisions a redeveloped, more prosperous Gaza called “New Gaza,” overseen by an international “Board of Peace”. If accepted by both sides, the proposal would halt all major military activity, with Israeli forces partially withdrawing to pave the way for a staged hostage release and a comprehensive demilitarization effort.
The proposal presents a binary choice: accept the framework and the fighting stops; reject it and the current conflict continues. The plan explicitly links the immediate cessation of hostilities to a rapid sequence of hostage releases, prisoner swaps, and conditions for Gaza’s future governance and reconstruction—an approach that would require swift negotiations and broad regional buy-in.
Key Conditions and Timeline
Immediate Ceasefire and Hostage Return
Central to the plan is a 72-hour window after Israel publicly accepts the proposal for the return of all hostages—alive and deceased—through a staged, verifiable process. Once the hostages are released, Israel would permit a broader humanitarian and security transition, including a potential “complete staged withdrawal” of Israeli forces as negotiations proceed.
Prisoner Exchange and Retaliation Measures
Following the hostage release, Israel would free 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans arrested after October 7, 2023. The plan also stipulates reciprocal arrangements for remains: for each Israeli hostage remnant released, the remains of 15 dead Gazans would be returned, creating a difficult but concrete incentive structure for both sides.
Governance, Demilitarization, and Reconstruction
A Board of Peace and Transitional Governance
The proposal envisions an international overseer body, led by the president and including figures such as former prime ministers, tasked with guiding the transition. Gaza would be governed by a temporary, technocratic, apolitical committee composed of Palestinians and international experts, under the oversight of the Board of Peace. This framework would set the redevelopment plan’s rules and funding until reforms within the Palestinian Authority gain traction.
Complete Demilitarization and Monitoring
Hamas and allied factions would have no role in governing Gaza, directly or indirectly. All military infrastructure, including tunnels and weapons facilities, would be destroyed, with independent monitors overseeing the demilitarization process to prevent a relapse into conflict.
<h2 Economic Development and Humanitarian Path
Rapid Aid and Economic Zones
Upon acceptance, the plan commits to immediate, robust aid deliveries to Gaza through the United Nations and related agencies, with quantities aligned to a January 2025 accord. An economic panel would design a development program for a special economic zone, offering favorable tariff terms to participating countries and jumpstarting a modern economy that could attract regional investment.
Mobility and Social Contracts
The plan states that no one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to relocate may do so and return. It also emphasizes voluntary migration as part of a longer-term strategy to foster a stable, peaceful environment where residents can choose to stay and rebuild rather than be displaced by conflict.
<h2 Regional Security, Statehood, and Next Steps
Regional partners would monitor Hamas and related groups to ensure compliance and to ensure New Gaza poses no threat to neighbors. The United States would help assemble a temporary International Stabilization Force to be deployed in Gaza, while Israel would progressively transfer occupied Gaza territory to this international body, avoiding occupation or annexation in the long term.
On statehood, the plan offers a cautious note: as Gaza redevelopment progresses and Palestinian Authority reforms unfold, the conditions could mature toward a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood—an aspiration long sought by Palestinians and a pivot for broader regional peace efforts.
