Calling it a “historic day for peace,” U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new peace plan for Gaza that includes a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the war-torn enclave.
At the White House, Trump facilitated a call in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally apologized to Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for the September 9 attack on Doha that killed a Qatari security officer.
Netanyahu expressed “deep regret,” describing the incident as “unintentional,” and pledged that Israel would respect Qatar’s sovereignty going forward.
During a joint press conference, Trump outlined his proposal:
- Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from Gaza under a timetable agreed with the new interim authority.
- If Hamas accepts the plan, the war will end and hostages will be released within 72 hours.
- A new international body, chaired by Trump and including Tony Blair (British politician and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom), will oversee Gaza’s transitional governance.
- Gaza will be demilitarized and Hamas’s tunnels destroyed.
Trump thanked Arab and Islamic countries for supporting the initiative and suggested that even Iran could eventually join the Abraham Accords, reports Al-Rai daily.
Netanyahu endorsed Trump’s 20-point plan, saying it meets Israel’s military objectives by dismantling Hamas’s capabilities, ending its political rule, and ensuring Gaza no longer poses a threat.
Reactions remain divided. Hamas leader Ziad al-Nakhalah dismissed the plan as “a recipe for continued aggression,” while several Arab and Islamic nations welcomed the U.S. initiative as a step toward ending the conflict.
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