The Trump administration has proposed a 21-point peace plan to end the war in Gaza to Arab leaders. The proposal was presented on Tuesday and, according to a senior administration official, led to an exchange of ideas over how to agree on a final proposal that could potentially drive an end to the conflict. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff expressed confidence on Wednesday that there would be “some sort of breakthrough” in the coming days.
“We had a very productive session,” Witkoff said of the meeting between President Donald Trump and the U.S. delegation and the Arab leaders. He added that the plan addresses both Israeli and regional concerns and that the administration is “hopeful, and I might say even confident,” that they will be able to announce a breakthrough soon.
The plan, according to a separate source, included publicly known points such as the release of all hostages and a permanent ceasefire. It also outlined a framework for how Gaza could be governed without Hamas and included a proposal for Israel to gradually withdraw from the Gaza Strip.
Positive Reception with Conditions
According to two regional diplomats, the regional leaders endorsed large parts of Trump’s plan but made a series of suggestions on provisions they want added to any final plan. These suggestions included a firm commitment to no annexation of the West Bank by Israel, maintaining the current status quo for Jerusalem, ending the war in Gaza, the return of all hostages held by Hamas, increased humanitarian aid, and addressing Israel’s illegal settlements. One of the diplomats said the meeting was “super useful” as details were addressed.
The new momentum comes after Israel carried out a deadly strike against Hamas in Doha, which halted all ongoing talks between Hamas and Israel. Following that strike, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a trip to the region, stressed the urgency of a negotiated settlement, saying, “time is running out.” The Qataris, who have been mediating, offered to continue their role but requested assurances that there would be no future Israeli strikes in their country.
Renewed Diplomatic Momentum
The leaders agreed to meet again with the Trump administration to address the ongoing efforts, and that meeting took place with Rubio on Wednesday. Rubio said at the beginning of that meeting that “very important work is ongoing, even as we speak” with regard to a future for Gaza and the Palestinian people.
European governments received a readout of the general plan, and two European diplomats told CNN that they believed it represented a genuine renewed effort to end the conflict. One official added that the overall plan could prevent Israel from further annexing the West Bank, citing that action as something that would make it virtually impossible to expand the Abraham Accords, a goal of the Trump administration. The new proposal was put forward just a day after Saudi Arabia and France hosted a two-state solution conference, which the U.S. boycotted, citing opposition to the recognition of a Palestinian state that Trump said would reward Hamas.
Author’s Opinion
This peace plan represents a significant, and potentially unexpected, diplomatic effort from the Trump administration. While the proposal may offer a glimmer of hope, the path to a lasting peace is fraught with challenges. The Arab leaders’ conditions, particularly on West Bank annexation and Jerusalem, are potential deal-breakers for Israel. The success of the plan will depend not just on the details of the proposal, but on the political will of all parties to make difficult concessions in a conflict that has deep historical and emotional roots. This shows that even a bold and detailed plan cannot succeed without genuine compromise from all sides, and the next few weeks of negotiations will be a crucial test of that resolve.
Featured image credit: Wikimedia Commons
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