The Big Lift

As of last evening a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is finally underway.  An end to the conflict is still up in the air with all of the obstacles to be found in the remaining 20 points in the Trump plan to end the war in Gaza.

I've actually read the plan and found particularly-detailed coverage in the Times of Israel (linked below).  It's a solid proposal and there's not much to it to take exception-to.  It will be a heavy lift and it is in the world's enlightened self interest that president Trump is successful. As they say - the devil is in the details - and there will be ample opportunity to debate specifics in the months and years to come.

If Trump pulls-it-off maybe he'll earn that elusive Nobel Peace Prize he so earnestly covets.  If he succeeds he deserves it.  Time will tell. 

Here are the 21 points as reported in the media summarizing Trump’s “21-point peace plan” for Gaza / the Israel-Hamas war:

Source: The Times of Israel (paraphrased) The Times of Israel

1. Gaza will be a de-radicalized, terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.

2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of its people.

3. If Israel and Hamas accept the proposal, the war will immediately end: Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) halt operations and gradually withdraw from the Strip.

4. Within 48 hours of Israel publicly accepting the deal, all living and deceased hostages will be returned.

5. After hostages are returned, Israel will free several hundred Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, over 1,000 Gazans arrested since the war began, plus return bodies of Palestinians.

6. Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence will be granted amnesty; those who wish to leave Gaza will be given safe passage to receiving countries.

7. After agreement, aid to Gaza will surge—at least at levels from earlier benchmark deals (e.g. 600 aid trucks/day) plus rehabilitation of critical infrastructure.

8. Aid will be distributed without interference from either Israel or Hamas, via the UN, Red Crescent, and other international organizations not tied to either party.

9. Gaza will be administered by a temporary transitional government of Palestinian technocrats, supervised by a new international body (established by the US in consultation with Arab and European partners).

10. An economic plan will be created to rebuild Gaza, using experts with experience in modern Middle Eastern cities, and existing investment plans.

11. A special economic zone will be established, with reduced tariffs and preferential access to participating countries.

12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza; those who choose to leave may return. Gazans will be encouraged to remain and build a better future there.

13. Hamas will have no role whatsoever in Gaza’s governance; all offensive military infrastructure (e.g. tunnels) must be destroyed.

14. Regional partners will guarantee security: ensure that Hamas and other factions comply, and Gaza stops posing threats.

15. The US will work with Arab/international partners to form a temporary international stabilization force (ISF) to deploy in Gaza immediately, oversee security, and train Palestinian police.

16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza; the IDF will gradually hand over territory as security forces assume control.

17. If Hamas delays or rejects the proposal, its provisions will still be applied in “terror-free” areas: the IDF will hand them over to the international stabilization force.

18. Israel agrees not to carry out future strikes in Qatar; the US and international community acknowledge Doha’s mediating role in the Gaza crisis.

19. A process will be established to de-radicalize the population, including interfaith dialogue to change mindsets and narratives in both Israel and Gaza.

20. Once Gaza redevelopment advances and the Palestinian Authority’s reform program is completed, conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood (recognizing it as the aspiration of the Palestinian people).

21. The US will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful coexistence.

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Caveats and observations:

• The plan is often referred to as a 20-point plan in several media outlets, but in the version leaked / reported by The Times of Israel it includes 21 items (the last being the U.S. dialogue to set a political horizon).

• Many of the points are broad commitments rather than detailed operational mechanisms; key issues (e.g. timing, enforcement, funding, oversight) remain under negotiation.

• Points like “if Hamas delays or rejects, proceed in terror-free areas” imply partial implementation even without full consensus.

• The plan envisions sidelining Hamas entirely from governance in Gaza, replacing it with technocratic administration under international supervision.

• The pathway to Palestinian statehood is conditional and not immediate; it depends on reforms, redevelopment, and progress on Gaza.