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The White House calls Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan the closest step yet to ending the war. Here’s what it says on Hamas, hostages and governance
US President Donald Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. (AFP)
On September 29, 2025, US President Donald Trump released a 20-point roadmap that he said could bring “an immediate end” to the Gaza war if both Israel and Hamas agree. The plan was announced in Washington following Trump’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and shared with Arab leaders during last week’s UN General Assembly.
The proposal calls for hostilities to stop immediately once both sides accept the deal. Israeli forces would then withdraw to an agreed line inside Gaza, while all aerial and ground operations are frozen. Within 72 hours, all hostages held by Hamas, both living and deceased, are to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
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Trump described the framework as the closest step yet toward ending a war that has devastated Gaza, displaced millions, and drawn in multiple regional actors. Netanyahu backed the plan but warned Israel would “finish the job” militarily if Hamas rejected it or violated its terms.
What Does The Plan Say About Hostages And Prisoners?
The first stage of the plan is centred on a massive exchange. All Israeli hostages, living or dead, would be handed back within 72 hours of Israel’s acceptance. In return, Israel would release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, and 1,700 Gazans detained after October 7, 2023, including all women and children arrested since the conflict began. Additionally, for every deceased Israeli hostage returned, Israel will transfer the remains of 15 Palestinians killed during the war.
During this delicate process, all battle lines are to remain frozen and bombardments suspended. The withdrawal of Israeli forces would then proceed in stages, linked to demilitarisation benchmarks.
What Happens To Hamas Under The Deal?
The 20-point roadmap makes it clear that Hamas will have no role in Gaza’s future governance, not directly, indirectly, or through affiliated groups. This exclusion addresses a long-standing Israeli demand and reflects Trump’s insistence on creating what he calls a “terror-free zone.”
At the same time, the plan does not call for the outright elimination of Hamas members. Instead, it offers a conditional amnesty: fighters who agree to disarm and pledge peaceful co-existence may remain in Gaza. To encourage this, the proposal sets up an internationally funded buy-back and reintegration programme, allowing militants to hand over weapons in exchange for financial or social incentives.
Those unwilling to stay under such terms are promised safe passage into exile. The document says Hamas members could relocate to third countries willing to accept them, though it does not specify which nations might open their doors or whether such members would be protected from potential targeting abroad.
For enforcement, the plan outlines a demilitarisation process overseen by Israel, the US, and regional guarantors. Independent monitors would supervise the dismantling of Hamas’ military infrastructure, from the extensive tunnel network and rocket launch pads to weapons workshops that have fuelled years of conflict. The goal, as the text frames it, is to “permanently place weapons beyond use.”
In essence, Hamas is being presented with a binary choice: either transform into a disarmed political presence with no control over governance, or accept exile under international arrangements. Trump’s plan stresses that Gaza’s future must be “de-radicalised” to ensure it never again poses a threat to Israel or neighbouring states.
Who Will Govern Gaza?
A central feature of Trump’s proposal is the creation of a two-tiered transitional authority to manage Gaza once hostilities end. This is meant to prevent a power vacuum while keeping Hamas out of politics.
- A technocratic Palestinian committee
At the local level, day-to-day administration would be handled by a “technocratic, apolitical” Palestinian committee, made up of qualified professionals and supported by international experts. This body would focus strictly on public services, from running hospitals and schools to managing electricity, water, and municipal systems.
- The Board of Peace
Above this sits an international supervisory structure, the Board of Peace, which Trump himself would chair. The board is tasked with setting governance frameworks, coordinating reconstruction funding, and ensuring that aid is not diverted to armed groups. Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has been named as one of its members, with other heads of state expected to join.
The Board’s mandate is also explicitly linked to Trump’s economic development plan, which envisions Gaza being rebuilt along the lines of “modern miracle cities” in the Middle East. This intertwines governance with investment, aiming to make international donors and investors stakeholders in Gaza’s stability.
The Palestinian Authority Question
The transitional system is supposed to last until the Palestinian Authority (PA) is “reformed” enough to retake control. However, this is among the plan’s most contentious elements. Netanyahu has already voiced opposition to the PA playing any role in Gaza without what he calls a “radical transformation”, reflecting longstanding Israeli distrust of the West Bank-based authority.
What Does The Plan Say About Aid And Reconstruction?
Humanitarian assistance is described as an immediate priority. Upon acceptance of the deal:
- Full aid flows will resume, including food, medicine, fuel, and materials to rebuild infrastructure such as water, power, and sewage systems.
- Distribution will be managed by the United Nations, the Red Crescent, and neutral agencies, with neither Israel nor Hamas allowed to interfere.
- The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is to be reopened under mechanisms from a January 2025 humanitarian accord.
Economically, the plan promises a “Trump economic development initiative” for Gaza, with a special economic zone offering preferential tariffs, a panel of Middle East urban development experts tasked with attracting investment and creating jobs, and an emphasis on transforming Gaza into “New Gaza,” framed as a hub of prosperity rather than conflict.
What Role Will International Security Forces Play?
The plan calls for the creation of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF), deployed immediately after agreement. Its roles include:
- Training and supporting vetted Palestinian police.
- Securing Gaza’s borders in coordination with Israel and Egypt.
- Preventing weapons smuggling into Gaza.
- Facilitating safe movement of goods and aid.
The ISF will be supported by regional guarantors, with Jordan and Egypt specifically mentioned for their policing expertise. Over time, as the ISF establishes control, Israeli forces are to hand over occupied areas progressively and eventually withdraw, though Israel may retain a perimeter presence until Gaza is deemed secure.
Does The Plan Recognise A Palestinian State?
The proposal stops short of recognising Palestinian statehood, but it does acknowledge it as an aspiration. It envisions a “political horizon” for dialogue between Israel and Palestinians once Gaza’s reconstruction and PA reforms are underway.
The document links redevelopment and reform to the eventual possibility of Palestinian self-determination. However, it does not commit the US or Israel to formal recognition, leaving statehood as a distant, conditional outcome rather than an immediate guarantee.
How Is The Plan Being Received?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced support for Trump’s proposal but rejected any direct role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, reflecting tensions within his coalition, and warned that Hamas would be eliminated militarily if it spurned the offer.
Hamas has not yet accepted the plan, and its stance is critical since the deal hinges on its agreement to surrender hostages and arms.
Regional players, including Qatar and Egypt, have helped transmit the proposal to Hamas negotiators, while other Arab leaders were briefed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Internationally, the plan has drawn attention for the unusual provision that would see Trump himself chair a new “Board of Peace,” with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair among its members, placing the US president at the centre of Gaza’s proposed post-war governance.
What Does This Mean For Gaza’s Future?
Trump’s roadmap is the most detailed US-led initiative since the war began, combining ceasefire conditions, transitional governance, demilitarisation, aid, and economic incentives. If implemented, it would mark the first time Israel formally agrees to a staged withdrawal and to handing over security responsibilities to an international force.
Yet its success depends on Hamas’ response, the unity of Israel’s leadership, and the willingness of international partners to underwrite both security and reconstruction. Without broad acceptance, parts of the plan, such as aid corridors and “terror-free zones”, may only apply to areas cleared by Israel and transferred to the ISF.
For now, Gaza would be run by a technocratic Palestinian committee under the supervision of the international Board of Peace chaired by Trump, while longer-term control could eventually pass to the Palestinian Authority if it undertakes reforms, a possibility Netanyahu has already challenged. This means the question of who will ultimately rule Gaza remains unresolved.
About the Author
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More
September 30, 2025, 08:26 IST
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