- The White House releases the US presidential 10-point peace plan.
- Plan requires a ceasefire, swap of hostages with Palestinian prisoners.
- Israel has launched one of its biggest grounding this month.
Washington/Cairo/Jerusalem: President Donald Trump has said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted an American-supported peace plan for Gaza, even when Israeli is forcing one of their toughest offensives in the battered Palestinian enclave.
The proposal requires a ceasefire and release of hostages, but its success is still related to whether Hamas comes on board.
Trump said at a joint press conference with Netanyahu, saying they were “beyond very close” to forge an evasive peace agreement and that he hoped Hamas would accept it too.
The White House released Trump’s 20-point plan, which requires a ceasefire, a swap of hostages that Hamas had for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave, Hamas disarmament and a transitional government led by an international body.
“I would also like to thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for accepting the plan and for trusting that if we work together, we can put an end to the death and destruction that we have seen for so many years, decades, even centuries and begin a new chapter on security, peace and prosperity for the whole region,” Trump said.
In Netanyahu’s fourth visit to the White House, since Trump returned to office in January, the right -wing Israeli leader was looking to strengthen his country’s most important relationship after a number of Western leaders formally embraced Palestinian state of state last week contrary to the United States and Israel.
Trump, who sharply criticized the recognition movements as an award for Hamas, sought Netanyahu’s agreement despite Israel’s concern about parts of the plan.
It marked an intensified diplomatic effort by the US president who promised during the 2024 presidential campaign to quickly end the conflict and has since repeatedly claimed that a peace agreement was near, only for it to not realize.
Hamas’ apparent absence from the negotiations has raised questions about the prospects of the latest initiative.
Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official told AFP Monday that the group had not yet received Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
“We have not received Trump’s proposal. We will study it and answer when we receive it,” said the official, talking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter in public.
Tank’s head deeper into Gaza City
Washington presented his peace plan to Arab and Muslim states on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last week, and Trump’s main goal was to try to close the remaining holes with Netanyahu.
Talks from the White House came when Israeli thought on Monday stuck deeper into the heart of Gaza City. Israel has launched one of its biggest offensives of the war this month, with Netanyahu saying he is aiming to wipe out Hamas in its last Redoubts. The war has left much of Gaza in ruins and caused a major humanitarian crisis.
Arrival with Limousine was met Netanyahu by Trump outside the White House -doors with a handshake, a sharp contrast to the cool reception of the Israeli Prime Minister when he spoke on Friday before the UN General Assembly, where scores of delegates went out in protest.
Former US-supported ceasefire has fallen apart due to a lack of bridge over the space between Israel and Hamas, and Netanyahu has promised to continue to fight until Hamas is completely settled.
