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

Washington: US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say they have agreed to a plan to end the war in Gaza, but it’s unclear whether Hamas will accept the terms.

Trump on Tuesday (AEST) laid out a 20-point plan for ending the Israel-Hamas war and establishing a postwar governance in the war-battered Palestinian territory.

US President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House on Monday.Credit: AP

The US president’s plan would establish a temporary governing board 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 within 72 hours of Israel accepting the plan.

Trump said Israel would have the “full backing” of the US to take steps to defeat Hamas if it 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.”

Smoke rises following an Israeli military strike in Gaza City last week.Credit: AP

“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.”

Trump 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 anonymity.

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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.

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.

Netanyahu made the call to Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, as he met with Trump, according to the White House.

Trump described the exchange between the Israeli and Qatari leader as a “heart-to-heart” call.

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“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.”

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.“

The plan adds that members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza would be provided safe passage to receiving countries.

Hamas is believed to be holding 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed by Israel to be alive. The militant group has demanded 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 UN General Assembly. It doesn’t include the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, which Trump appeared to endorse earlier this year.

A Hamas official said the group was briefed on the plan but has yet to receive an official offer from Egyptian and Qatari mediators. The group has repeatedly rejected laying down arms and has linked its weapons to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

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