U.S. President Donald Trump has given Hamas “three or four days” to respond to his sweeping cease-fire proposal for Gaza — a U.S.-backed plan that has drawn strong international support but deep skepticism on the ground.
Unveiled Monday at the White House alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the 20-point proposal calls for an immediate cease-fire, the release of all hostages within 72 hours, Hamas’ full disarmament, and a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Under the plan, Gaza would be placed under a transitional authority led by Trump, with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair playing a key role, backed by a temporary international stabilization force.
Trump, firm on the deadline, told reporters, “We’re just waiting for Hamas — and Hamas is either going to be doing it or not. And if it’s not, it’s going to be a very sad end.”
Hamas Deliberates
Hamas leaders began internal consultations on Tuesday, with sources warning the process could take several days given the proposal’s “complexities.” Qatar, which hosts the group’s exiled leadership, confirmed Hamas had pledged to study the plan “responsibly” and would meet Turkish and Qatari officials to discuss next steps.
The plan explicitly bars Hamas from future governance in Gaza, though it offers amnesty to members who agree to lay down arms and accept “peaceful coexistence.” Israel would maintain a military presence in much of Gaza until the transition is complete.
Netanyahu, returning to Israel, struck a harder line:
“We will recover all our hostages, alive and well, while the military will remain in most of the Gaza Strip,” he said in a video address, again rejecting Palestinian statehood.
Support Abroad, Doubt at Home
Reaction abroad was swift. Arab and Muslim nations — including mediators Egypt and Qatar — praised Trump’s efforts. European allies such as Britain, France, Germany, and Italy expressed strong backing, while Russia and China also welcomed the proposal.
But in Gaza, war-weary residents voiced doubt.
“It’s clear this plan is unrealistic,” said Ibrahim Joudeh, a displaced resident sheltering in Al-Mawasi. “It was drafted with conditions that the U.S. and Israel know Hamas will never accept. For us, that means the war and the suffering will continue.”
The Palestinian Authority cautiously welcomed Trump’s “sincere and determined efforts,” while Hamas ally Islamic Jihad denounced the plan as an attempt by Washington and Tel Aviv to impose diplomatically what they could not achieve militarily.
Conflict Grinds On
Even as diplomacy unfolded, Israeli airstrikes and artillery continued across Gaza on Tuesday, with heavy bombardments reported in Gaza City and central refugee camps.
The conflict, ignited by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 incursion that killed 1,219 people in Israel, has since claimed the lives of more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry figures cited by the United Nations.
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