Netanyahu backs US plan to end war, under which Trump would initially govern Gaza

Washington: Gaza would be governed by a transitional “apolitical” committee of Palestinians and overseas experts under a peace plan agreed between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but there are questions over whether Hamas will accept the proposal.

The White House on Tuesday AEST released a 20-point document that called for an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas disarmament and a transitional government led by an international body.

The plan, pushed by the White House, would lead to the immediate end of the war and the release of all remaining hostages within 72 hours if Hamas accepted, Trump and Netanyahu told reporters after more than two hours of meetings.

Trump said they were “beyond very close” to an elusive peace deal, under which no Palestinians would be required to leave Gaza. But he warned Hamas that Israel would have full US support to take whatever action it deemed necessary if it rejected the offer.

Trump went into the White House meeting seeking to overcome Netanyahu’s misgivings over parts of the plan. It was not immediately clear whether Israel and the US had resolved all their differences, including over the possibility of a future Palestinian State, which Netanyahu has forcefully rejected, and any role for the Palestinian Authority in postwar governance of the enclave.

The US president thanked Netanyahu “for agreeing to the plan and for trusting that if we work together, we can bring an end to the death and destruction that we’ve seen for so many years, decades, even centuries”.

The Israeli PM responded: “I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war aims.”

Netanyahu said the plan would see all hostages returned, Hamas’ military capabilities dismantled, and its political rule ended, ensuring that Gaza would “never again pose a threat to Israel”.

He went on to warn that if Hamas rejected the plan, or accepted and then tried to counter it, Israel would “finish the job by itself”.

“This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done,” Netanyahu said.

Trump urged the Palestinian people to take responsibility “for their destiny” and embrace his proposal. Hamas has not yet responded, however, and its absence from negotiations so far raises serious questions about the plan’s viability.

Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief presented the proposal to Hamas negotiators, who are now reviewing it in “good faith”, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorised to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

While Hamas has said in the past that it would agree to step back from governing Gaza, the militant group has refused to disarm, something Netanyahu has long demanded as part of any long-term truce to end the war.

Under the agreement, a temporary governing body for Gaza known as the “Board of Peace” would be set up, headed by Trump, and including former British prime minister Tony Blair. Palestinians and international experts would take part, and the board would create a framework and handle funding for Gaza’s redevelopment until the Palestinian Authority had undergone major reforms.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles on Tuesday voiced support for the plan – on the condition that it did not involve the annexation of any territories or the forced displacement of people.

“We have made it really clear that we need to see a ceasefire, that we need to see an end to these hostilities. We do not want to see an annexation of these territories, and I know that forms part of this agreement as well,” Marles told the ABC Melbourne on Tuesday morning.

“Our view, ultimately, is that the only way that there will be an enduring peace in the Middle East is if there are two states. The plan, as it’s been articulated, keeps the door open for all of that. So that’s where we see that there is hope, but what we need is for all parties to be embracing a pathway to peace here.”

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Trump’s efforts to end the war and secure the release of all hostages.

“We call on all sides to come together and to work with the US administration to finalise this agreement and bring it into reality. Hamas should now agree to the plan and end the misery by laying down their arms and releasing all remaining hostages,” Starmer said.

In a post on X, Macron said: “I expect Israel to engage resolutely on this basis. Hamas has no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan.”

The Palestinian Authority reiterated its commitment to work with the US and partners to reach a comprehensive deal that included “paving way for just peace on the basis of two-state solution”.

Netanyahu earlier extended a formal apology to his Qatari counterpart for a recent military strike targeting Hamas officials in the Gulf emirate that infuriated Arab leaders and triggered rare criticism by the US of Israel.

The Israeli PM phoned Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, as he met Trump, according to the White House. Trump described the exchange between the two leaders as a “heart-to-heart” call.

“As a first step, Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman,” the White House said in a statement. “He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.”

The White House talks, and apology from Netanyahu, come at a tenuous moment. Israel is increasingly isolated, losing support from many countries that were long its steadfast allies. At home, Netanyahu’s governing coalition appears more fragile than ever. And the White House is showing signs of impatience.

It remains to be seen how Netanyahu will be able to justify to far-right members of his coalition his acceptance of the proposal after promising to press against the militant organisation until it was “eliminated”.

The Trump plan indicates that 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 wished to leave Gaza would be provided safe passage to receiving countries.

Hamas is believed to be holding 48 hostages, 20 of whom are thought by Israel to still be alive. The militant group has demanded that Israel agree to end the war and withdraw from all of Gaza as part of any permanent ceasefire.

Trump discussed the US plan with Arab and Islamic leaders in New York last week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. It doesn’t include the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, which Trump appeared to endorse earlier this year.

Countries including Australia, France, Canada and the United Kingdom last week formally recognised Palestine as world leaders tried to breathe new life into the two-state solution process in a push spearheaded by Macron.

Israel has launched one of its biggest offensives of the war this month, with Netanyahu saying he aims to wipe out Hamas. The war, which began after Hamas-led fighters killed about 1200 people and captured 251 hostages in a 2023 attack on Israel, has left much of Gaza in ruins and caused a major humanitarian crisis.

More than 66,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Israel’s assault, according to Gaza health authorities, which do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.

AP, Reuters

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