US President Donald Trump unveiled a 21-point plan in New York yesterday to end the war in Gaza and build a post-Hamas administration. During a meeting with Arab and Muslim leaders, Trump underlined the urgency of ending the conflict, noting that "every day that passes isolates Israel more and more on the international stage."
According to Axios' sources, Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, expressed optimism that concrete progress would be made in the coming days. The proposal contains elements of ideas previously discussed in recent months, including contributions from Jared Kushner and Tony Blair.
Key points of the plan:
The release of all remaining hostages;
Permanent ceasefire;
Gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza;
New government in Gaza without Hamas;
The formation of a security force with the participation of Palestinians and troops from Arab and Muslim countries;
Funding from Arab/Muslim countries for the new administration and reconstruction of Gaza;
A limited role for the Palestinian Authority in governance.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan. Trump sought their commitment and support for implementing the plan.
Arab leaders' demands:
According to two sources, Arab leaders set several conditions for supporting the plan:
No annexation by Israel of the West Bank or Gaza;
No occupation or construction of new settlements in Gaza;
Protection of the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque;
Immediate increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Trump, according to sources, pledged that he would not allow annexation of Palestinian territories — a stance previously reported by Politico. At the end of the meeting, the leaders of the participating countries expressed their support and readiness to participate in implementing the plan.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, they reiterated their commitment to working with Trump and his leadership role in achieving peace.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a separate statement expressing appreciation for the initiative:
"I appreciate President Trump's efforts to stop the war in Gaza and for peace in the Middle East as a whole. His proposals provide an important foundation for building peace."
The meeting was described as positive by Arab representatives, who stressed that Trump is "absolutely committed" to ending the war.
Today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff held talks with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan to work out the plan in detail and make it workable.
On the other hand, Israeli officials confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is informed of the principles of the plan, while his aide Ron Dermer has had contact with Kushner and Blair.
Trump is expected to present the plan to Netanyahu on Monday at the White House, in an attempt to secure his support.
