Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza has entered a pivotal moment. For decades, American and Israeli peace efforts have been met with rejection and violence. A new American proposal now puts an ultimatum on the table: Will Hamas accept reform and coexistence or continue the war it started?
U.S. President Donald Trump presented a plan to end the Gaza war at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. It includes:
- Immediate end to hostilities once all parties accept the agreement.
- Return of all living and deceased Israeli hostages within 72 hours, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian terrorists serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians arrested since Oct. 7.
- Disarmament of Hamas to create a terror-free zone, with amnesty for members who renounce violence or choose safe passage.
- Arab-led security force to replace Israeli troops and stabilize Gaza.
- A transitional civilian government to administer Gaza until reform by the Palestinian Authority is complete, with no role for Hamas.
- U.S.-led peace dialogue to advance Palestinian statehood once P.A. reforms are achieved.
- Reconstruction and reconciliation, combining economic development with educational reform and initiatives to counter extremism and promote coexistence.
The plan now depends on the reaction of Hamas. The Iranian-backed terror group would be required to end its rule of Gaza, relinquish its weapons and agree to peace with Israel. Only hours before the White House meeting, Hamas launched two rockets at Israel. They fell short, landing in Gaza.
The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research revealed in May that 77% of Palestinians opposed Hamas disarmament as a condition for ending the war and most doubted that it would end the war. The same poll also showed declining support for Hamas and its attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, though still remaining high.
Leaders around the world, including Arab nations, European countries and the Palestinian Authority, welcomed the proposals. The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt supported the plan, saying: “We welcome President Trump’s leadership and his sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza.”
If Hamas does not comply, Trump asserted that “Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas.” The terror group is reviewing the proposal; Trump’s stated deadline for a response is Oct. 3. Iranian-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which holds at least one Israeli hostage, condemned the plan.
Palestinian Authority, Israel and Qatar: Peace partners?
The P.A. must also accept significant reforms rejected for decades, including an end to incitement in schools, media and mosques under its control. The United Nations runs most Palestinian schools. A recent report revealed how UNRWA allowed Hamas chiefs to control its education system in Gaza. The P.A. accepted Trump’s proposal.
If the plan is approved but the Israeli government does not fully implement all elements, it will face international pressure. Netanyahu declared his opposition to a Palestinian state at the United Nations the week before. After the Oct. 7 atrocities, a majority of Israelis oppose Palestinian statehood in the immediate future. Netanyahu’s hardline allies are likely to resist any steps that could advance Palestinian statehood, even if the plan does not require Israel to accept it immediately.
Qatar continues to play a strategic role in the conflict and the region. The country hosts Hamas leaders and acts as an intermediary for Israel in negotiations. The Israeli Air Force recently targeted a Hamas meeting in Qatar that also killed a national security officer. In a call from the White House, Netanyahu expressed regret for the loss of life but stressed that Israel’s target was Hamas terrorists.
The small country wields enormous influence. Qatar controls Al Jazeera media channels, contributes billions to American universities, and leads the fight to ban Israeli teams from European soccer competitions. Seven Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, cut ties with Qatar in 2017 because of its support for terrorism and demanded that Qatar shut down Al Jazeera. The network has banned any criticism of Hamas during the Gaza war.
Historical rejections of peace: ‘No negotiations’
Israelis have tried for decades to achieve a two-state solution. Palestinian and Arab leaders have consistently rejected coexistence. Arab countries launched wars of annihilation against the Jewish state in 1948, 1967 and 1973. Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan, Gaza from Egypt and the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel offered to return the land for peace, but the Arab League in Khartoum responded with “Three No’s”: No peace, no recognition, no negotiation.
Mahmoud Abbas, the 89-year-old leader of the P.A. who is serving the 20th year of his four-year term, asserted again via a televised speech to the United Nations that the Palestinians will hold elections within a year. His speech equated Israeli hostages with imprisoned Palestinian terrorists, as he wore a pin symbolizing the destruction of Israel and has still not condemned the Oct. 7 attacks in Arabic to Palestinians.
If elections were held now, it is estimated that about two-thirds of Palestinians in both the West Bank and Gaza would vote for Hamas in parliamentary elections. According to a 2025 survey, only 33% of Palestinians support negotiations with Israel. Also, 41% support “armed struggle” (aka terrorism), including 50% who think the Oct. 7 attacks were a good decision.
Recognizing Palestine: ‘Oct. 7 benefited Palestinians’
France recently led a group of nations, including the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, in recognizing Palestine as a state at the annual U.N. General Assembly.
Of the 193 member states, 156 have recognized a state of Palestine since 1988. Many Israelis and Jews see this as a reward for Palestinians after Oct. 7. Franco-Israelis slammed French President Emmanuel Macron for “encouraging more bloodshed.”
Macron’s initiative ignored core obstacles to peace, including the Palestinian rejection of the “right of return” that would end Israel’s existence as a Jewish state. For many anti-Israel activists, recognition of Palestine does not mean reconciliation. It simply advances Israel’s elimination.
A Qatar-based Hamas leader recently admitted that Gazans are paying “a high price” in the war, but that Oct. 7 created “a golden moment” benefiting Palestinians. He falsely claimed that the Israeli hostages are being treated according to “Islamic principles.” A senior Palestinian Authority leader declared that the recognition was “the result of more than a century of resistance.”
Points to consider:
1. Trump’s peace plan tests Hamas’s will to disarm and accept peace.
The new proposal to end the Gaza war puts the burden where it belongs: on Hamas. The plan promotes security, economic development and even amnesty for Hamas members who choose co-existence. But peace can only begin if Iran-backed Hamas terrorists surrender their weapons and abandon terror. If Hamas refuses again, world leaders must clearly recognize who stands in the way of ending the war.
2. The Abraham Accords offer a vision for regional peace.
Bahrain, Morocco and the UAE normalized relations with Israel in 2020, ending years of animosity and reshaping Arab-Israeli relations. They are helping to reform education, foster cultural exchange and promote prosperity. Trump is committed to expanding these agreements to include more nations. The accords prove that peace and cooperation are possible when leaders reject hatred and embrace partnership.
3. Palestinian leaders must end incitement in schools, media and mosques.
Peace is impossible while P.A. leaders glorify violence and poison the next generation. Schools and summer camps are named after terrorists, children’s shows celebrate killers, and terrorists are paid for murdering Israelis. Instead of teaching hatred of Jews and Christians, Palestinian education must promote coexistence. True reform starts in the classroom, on TV and in worship.
4. Gaza shows why a Palestinian state cannot be built on terror.
For 20 years, this coastal enclave has effectively been a Palestinian state. Israel uprooted Jewish families in 2005 to give the Palestinians an opportunity for self-rule. Instead of building prosperity, Hamas turned Gaza into a launchpad for terror. Rockets, tunnels and the Oct. 7 massacre prove why Israelis are cautious about handing over more land in the hope of peace.
5. Premature Palestinian recognition rewards terror, not peace.
Recognizing a Palestinian state now sends exactly the wrong message. Hamas calls Oct. 7 a “golden moment,” despite the thousands of Palestinians killed. The P.A. treats international gains as victories for “resistance.” Rewarding rejectionism only fuels more violence, emboldening extremists against Israel and countries around the world. Lasting peace cannot be built on the back of mass murder.
6. Permanent U.N. bias condemns Israel and promotes Hamas.
Hamas celebrated when dozens of countries walked out during the Israeli prime minister’s speech to the U.N. General Assembly. The world body’s automatic majority—led by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, authoritarian regimes and a few European enablers—falsely condemns Israel every year while shielding real human-rights abusers, including China, Iran and North Korea. This hypocrisy rewards terrorists and undermines the credibility of the United Nations.
