President Donald Trump said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were “at a minimum, very, very close” to a deal to end the war in Gaza — but if Hamas does not agree to the plan, the U.S. would stand behind whatever Israel wishes to do.
“If Hamas rejects the deal … you know, Bibi, you’d have my full backing to do what you would have to do,” Trump said during joint remarks to the press on Monday.
Netayahu put it more starkly: Hamas must agree to the deal or Israel will “finish the job.”
“We’re giving everybody a chance to have this done peacefully, something that will achieve all our war objectives without any further bloodshed,” Netanyahu said. “But if Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President, or if they supposedly accept it and then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself.”
“This can be done the easy way, or it can be done the hard way,” Netanyahu added.
Neither leader took questions, although the event was framed as a press conference.
Just before the remarks, the Trump administration released a 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. If both sides accept, the plan states that the war will be brought to an immediate conclusion, with battle lines frozen and all military operations suspended until a withdrawal can be staged. All hostages held by Hamas will be returned to Israel within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement, according to the White House.
“This is a big, big day, a beautiful day, potentially one of the great days ever in civilization,” Trump said during remarks with Netanyahu. “We’re talking about much beyond Gaza … it’s called peace in the Middle East.”
“Let’s call it ‘eternal peace in the Middle East,’” Trump added. “No more shooting, hopefully.”
In addition to bringing about an immediate end to the war, the proposal includes plans for the government of Gaza once the war concludes. It mandates that 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.”
“Hamas and other terrorist factions will play no role in the board, they’ll play no role in the governance of Gaza at all, directly or indirectly,” Trump said.
The plan states that the transition to new governance will be overseen by a “Board of Peace,” led by Trump and other international leaders including former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair.
The board “will be responsible for recruiting and training a new government that will be made up of Palestinians, along with highly qualified experts from all around the world,” Trump said.
It also details plans for the deployment of a “stabilization force” developed in coordination with Arab partners in the region, lays out plans for aid to flow into Gaza, and proposes a “Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza.”
“There shouldn’t have to be a shot fired, and maybe for eternity,” Trump said “Wouldn’t that be nice?”
“No president has been better to Israel than Donald Trump, but we had a long, strong talk. BB united,” Trump said. He understands that it’s time, his time history has shown.”