White House unveils 20-point plan to end Israel's war in Gaza, rebuild enclave

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - The White House released on Monday a comprehensive 20-point plan aimed at ending the Gaza war and establishing long-term peace, as US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The proposal envisions transforming Gaza into "a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors" while ensuring the enclave "will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough."

Under the plan, "if both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end" with Israeli forces withdrawing to agreed positions. Within 72 hours of Israel's acceptance, all hostages, both living and deceased, must be returned, according to the plan's outline also shared on social media.

Following hostage releases, Israel would free 250 life-sentence prisoners and 1,700 Gazans detained after Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas members who "commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty."

"Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip," with distribution proceeding "without interference from the two parties through the UN and its agencies."

- Governance, reconstruction

According to the plan, Gaza would be governed by "a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee" responsible for daily public services. Hamas and other factions would have "no role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form."

The US would work with Arab partners to deploy a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF).

If Hamas rejects the proposal, "the scaled-up aid operation" will proceed in the territories under ISF control.

According to the plan, regional partners would "ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people."

"Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza," with its military forces withdrawing as the international force establishes control.

A Trump economic development plan "to rebuild and energize" Gaza and would establish "a special economic zone with preferred tariff and access rates" 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," it said.

The plan includes an interfaith dialogue process and states that "when the PA (Palestinian Authority) reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood."

The Israeli army has killed over 66,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to a famine.