A chorus of cautious approval echoed across capitals in Europe and the Middle East on Monday, as leaders weighed a sweeping U.S. proposal to halt the war in Gaza. President Donald Trump, flanked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, unveiled what he called “a historic day for peace.” The plan, he warned, offered Hamas a final chance: accept the terms or face the full weight of Israel’s military.
At its core, the blueprint demands an immediate cease-fire. Within 72 hours, Hamas would be required to release 20 living hostages and the remains of more than two dozen others believed dead. In exchange, Israel would free hundreds of Palestinian detainees and return the bodies of Gazans killed in Israeli custody. Battle lines would be frozen in place while both sides moved toward staged withdrawals and the dismantling of Hamas’s tunnels and arms factories.
The proposal, a 20-point document handed to Hamas negotiators, goes further than previous U.S. initiatives. It explicitly bars Hamas from governing Gaza and sketches out a transitional authority: a technocratic Palestinian committee supervised by a new international “Board of Peace,” to be chaired by Trump himself. Former British prime minister Tony Blair, tapped to join the body, described the plan as “bold and intelligent.”
European leaders were quick to respond. Emmanuel Macron said France “stands ready to contribute,” insisting that the initiative must lead to serious discussions on a two-state solution. Italy’s Giorgia Meloni called it “a turning point.” In London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Hamas to “end the misery” and release hostages.
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From the region, the reaction was strikingly unified. The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan issued a joint statement praising Trump’s “sincere efforts” and pledging to work toward a Palestinian state that integrates Gaza with the West Bank. Even the Palestinian Authority, often at odds with Washington, described the push as “sincere and determined.”
The document also offers an economic lifeline: billions in aid and reconstruction, alongside a U.S. assurance that Israel will not annex or permanently occupy Gaza. Unlike earlier iterations, the plan says Palestinians will not be displaced but instead “encouraged to stay and build a better Gaza.”
Whether Hamas agrees remains the great unknown. Netanyahu’s warning was blunt: “If they refuse, we will finish the job.”
