What’s in the White House’s latest peace plan to end the war in Gaza

By Jennifer Hansler, CNN

(CNN) — US President Donald Trump publicly released his roadmap for Gaza peace Monday as he argued that he is “very close” to bringing an end to the nearly two-year long war that has now claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The plan for the release of the hostages and the demilitarization of Hamas was published amid a visit between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as the US president warned that he would give a greenlight to continued Israeli military action unless Hamas agrees to the proposal.

A top Qatari and top Egyptian official shared the 20-point plan with Hamas negotiators on Monday, according to an official briefed. The plan was initially shared with Arab leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last Tuesday.

Netanyahu, speaking alongside the US president following their meeting at the White House, said he supports Trump’s plan, but also warned that if Hamas rejects the proposal or accepts it and acts counter to it, “then Israel will finish the job by itself.” Netanyahu also seemed to oppose specific elements outlined in the plan about future governance of the enclave.

The plan released Monday, which has shrunk to 20 points from 21 points, calls for the war to “end immediately” once the two sides agree to the proposal.

Both living and deceased hostages held by Hamas would be released within 72 hours under the plan, and “Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release.” The initial plan described that timeline as within 48 hours.

“During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal,” it says.

In exchange for the release of the hostages, Israel will “release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context.”

“For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans,” the updated proposal said.

Notably, the plan also describes an eventual Israeli withdrawal in the event that Hamas refuses to accept it, with Israel continuing its military offensive in Gaza and gradually handing over territory to an interim security force.

In either path, the proposal marks the first time that Israel has publicly agreed to eventually withdraw from parts of the Gaza Strip and hand over territory to an international security force.

The proposal does not set out a timeline for that handover to take place, but states that “Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza.”

The proposal also indicates that Israel must significantly scale up aid to Gaza even if Hamas rejects the proposal, with the United Nations and the Red Crescent playing a major role. It does not mention the controversial, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

“No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return,” the proposal says. The US president had in the past suggested there could be forced displacement while Gaza is reconstructed.

Monday’s version does not specifically mention that Israel will not attack Qatar, as the version presented last week did. Netanyahu, in a call with the Qatari Prime Minister Monday, “affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future,” according to a readout from the White House.

Notably, the proposal states that “no one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return” – despite past statements about forced displacement from the US president and proposals of US “ownership” of the war-torn strip to turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

The plan does, however, nod to a “Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza,” which “will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East.” It does not say who those experts will be or if they have commercial ties to the president or his allies.

Monday proposal describes two levels of interim governance – an overarching international body and “a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee.” The international body, according to the plan, will be called the “Board of Peace,” chaired by Trump, “with other members and heads of State to be announced,” including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Under the plan, the US “will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza.” That force “will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field.”

“This force will be the long-term internal security solution,” it states.

The plan calls for the transitional government to rule Gaza until the Palestinian Authority completes its “reform program” and “can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza.” There is no timeline for this transition to the PA.

It says Hamas will have no rule in the future of Gaza’s governance.

However, on Monday, Netanyahu suggested he would not accept a PA-run Gaza in the future.

“Gaza will have a peaceful civilian administration that is run neither by Hamas nor by the Palestinian Authority,” he said, adding later that he appreciated Trump’s “firm position that the PA could have no role whatsoever in Gaza without undergoing a radical and genuine transformation.”

Notably, the US plan acknowledges the possibility of a Palestinian state, calling it “which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.” It does not say the US would recognize such a state. The Trump administration has spoken out sharply against allies who recognized a Palestinian state in recent weeks.

It also states that “Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty.”

“Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries,” it states, without describing which countries would accept the Hamas members. It is unclear whether any Hamas members would choose exile from Gaza, especially with the possibility that Israel could target them extraterritorially.

CNN’s Jeremy Diamond contributed reporting.

Read the full Trump administration proposal:

• Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
• Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.
• If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
• Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.
• Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
• Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
• Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.
• Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement.
• Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.
• A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.
• A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.
• No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.
• Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.
• A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.
• The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.
• Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.
• In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.
• An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.
• While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.
• The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

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