The White House has released a peace plan for Gaza and Israel that’s it’s looking for both sides to adopt. Call it a ‘Gaza framework proposal’ but it might work.
The commitment to suspend Israeli operations and not annex Gaza would mark a major shift, while the safe passage and amnesty elements are designed to neutralize Hamas’ role without a bloodbath. The Trump-branded development plan is a political wildcard but and it’s tough to say if Hamas is in the mood to negotiate.
The package sketches out governance, security, economic, and humanitarian arrangements. Highlights:
-
Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.
-
Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza.
-
No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return.
-
Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
-
In event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, above, including scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in terror-free areas handed over from IDF to ISF.
-
During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended.
-
Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023.
-
IDF will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between IDF, ISF, guarantors, and U.S.
-
Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty.
-
Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
-
Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form.
-
Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into Gaza strip.
-
Gaza will be governed under temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee.
-
A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created.
-
This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians, international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body.
The tricking part is getting to the ‘deradicalized terror-free zone’ from where we are. That part isn’t really clear.