PRESIDENT Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday they’ve agreed on a plan to end the war in Gaza, but it’s unclear whether Hamas will accept the terms. Hamas said on Tuesday it will discuss Trump’s peace plan for Gaza within the group and with other Palestinian factions before responding. Trump on Monday laid out a 20-point plan for ending the Israel-Hamas war and establishing a temporary governing board in the war-battered Palestinian territory that would be headed by Trump and include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The plan does not require people to leave Gaza and calls for the war to end immediately if both sides accept it. It also calls for all remaining hostages to be released by Hamas within 72 hours of Israel accepting the plan. Trump said Israel would have the “full backing” of the United States to take steps to defeat Hamas if the group doesn’t accept the proposed peace deal.

 

“I think we are beyond very close,” Trump said at the start of a news conference with Netanyahu where he detailed the plan. “We’re not quite finished. We have to get Hamas.” “If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President, or if they supposedly accept it and then do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself,” Netanyahu said. “This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done.” The President went on to urge Palestinian people to take responsibility “for their destiny” and embrace his peace proposal. Qatar’s Prime Minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief presented Trump’s 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. The Palestinian Government in the occupied West Bank welcomed Trump’s plan and pledged to implement reforms called for in the plan in order to return to Gaza and potentially clear the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state. “We have affirmed our desire for a modern, democratic, and non-militarised Palestinian state, committed to pluralism and the peaceful transfer of power,” the Palestinian Government said in a statement. It promised a series of reforms, including new elections, changes to its schoolbooks and ending a system that pays the families of militants involved in attacks on Israelis. Netanyahu earlier on Monday 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. Netanyahu made the call to Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, as he met with Trump. Trump described the exchange between the Israeli and Qatari leader as a “heart-to-heart” call. “As a first step, Prime Minister 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.” 

 

 

 PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday welcomed US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza conflict, saying that it provides a viable path to long-term peace, security and development for the Palestinian and Israeli people, as well as the larger West Asian region. “We welcome President Donald J Trump’s announcement of a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict. It provides a viable pathway to long-term and sustainable peace, security and development for the Palestinian and Israeli people, as also for the larger West Asian region,” Modi’s post read.