HAMAS is under mounting pressure to accept Donald Trump’s peace plan and end the bloodshed in Gaza – with the terror group facing destruction if they refuse to play ball.
The 20-point deal, which Benjamin Netanyahu has approved, would see Israeli forces withdraw from the beleaguered strip and promise to not annex the territory.
AFPPalestian terror group Hamas will have to give up the remaining hostages as part of the deal[/caption]
SplashDonald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed on the deal[/caption]
ReutersIt comes as Israel faces mounting criticism over its war against Hamas in Gaza[/caption]
White HouseA map handed out by the White House showing the phases of withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip[/caption]
The breakthrough plan also includes a transitional government to run Gaza – which would be jointly spearheaded by Sir Tony Blair and Donald Trump if put in place.
Hamas is now carefully reviewing the terms of the deal “in good faith” and considering laying down its arms, a source told Associated Press.
It comes after the Israeli PM met with his American counterpart in the White House on Monday – before announcing he had agreed to Trump’s deal.
The US President’s proposal calls for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages from the terror group’s captivity within 72 hours.
It also says the terror group must disarm, and will ensure the IDF gradually withdraws itself from the besieged Gaza Strip.
The interim body led by Sir Tony and Trump dubbed the Board of Peace would then be established.
Trump’s groundbreaking deal also declares Hamas members who “commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons” will be awarded amnesty.
And it promises to provide a safe passage to other countries for residents who wish to leave Gaza.
Bibi has warned that if the Palestinian terror group reject the offer, then Israel will “finish the job by itself.
The Don has given Israel his “full backing” – should Hamas refuse to agree to the new terms.
Sir Keir Starmer has rallied behind the proposal, calling on Hamas to “end the misery” in the war-torn region.
Other terms of the proposal include Gaza becoming a deradicalised and terror-free zone, and for the Strip to be redeveloped for the benefit of locals.
In exchange for the 20 or so hostages believed to be alive that Hamas gives up, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners as well as 1,700 Gazans who have been detained since the infamous October 7 attacks.
Trump said his blueprint had secured backing from the Muslim and Arab leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan and Egypt.
The President hailed the moment of his offering as a “beautiful day” and “one of the greatest days for civilisation” in a White House address alongside Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Don added that Hamas are the “only ones” left to come on board and see the deal through, but that he expects a “positive result”.
The US President said he agreed to be on the Board of Peace at the request of others, and will sit alongside “good man” Blair and others to be announced shortly.
Netanyahu thanked Trump profusely for his “friendship” and confirmed that he supports the plan on Monday.
Harry Cole: ‘President of Peace’ strikes again
by Harry Cole, Editor-at-Large
THE self-proclaimed President of Peace is at it again, unveiling his 20 point peace plan for the Gaza war.
In typically understated fashion Donald Trump declared his meeting with Israel’s Netanyahu a “historic day for humanity”.
And to be fair convincing the hard man to sign up to a deal that could allow Hamas terrorists to walk free from their crimes was a big ask and an important moment.
Netanyahu is on board, with an oversight committee for Gaza lead by Mr Trump and an astonishing late career comeback from Tony Blair.
No Gazan will be forced out of their home which was a major ask from European nations, while the cost of rebuilding of the pummelled strip will be shared around the region.
On paper this looks like decent terms to end horrors.
But as we saw with Ukraine and Putin, these deals can come to nothing if one side doesn’t agree.
So now the world waits on Hamas to accept the terms.
They’ve said no before and collapsed talks and continued their butchery countless times.
But given that the Hamas leadership has been taken out three times now, and up to 20,000 dead fighters have been killed – the organisation is on its knees.
How long can they realistically keep fighting?
He also gave his gratitude to two Trump aides, Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, for their “indefatigable work”.
Ahead of the press conference, it was also reported that Netanyahu had apologised to Qatar after Israel bombed Doha in an effort to wipe out Hamas leaders.
Calling from the White House, Netanyahu told Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani he apologised for “violating the sovereignty” of Qatar.
However, Netanyahu’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir bullishly railed against his leader’s apology, insisting it was “very good that it [the Doha strike] happened”.
Ex British PM Sir Tony has been part of high-level planning talks with the US and other parties about the future of Gaza.
He has vast experience of Middle East politics after working as an envoy in the region.
But he led Britain into the 2003 Gulf War and moves to appoint him have angered leading Palestinians.
ReutersTrump and Netanyahu met on Monday at the White House[/caption]
ReutersIsrael launched a fresh offensive on Gaza City earlier this month[/caption]
Politician Mustafa Barghouti, General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, said: “If it is true about the appointment of Tony Blair to be some sort of a governor of Gaza that is absolutely unacceptable.
“Palestinians don’t need another colonial power to rule them.”
Monday talks marked Netanyahu’s fourth visit to the White House since Trump’s return to office.
And it came as the Israeli leader faced mounting pressure over his country’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Almost 70,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7 2023, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier this month, the wartime PM launched a ground invasion of Gaza City to erase the terror group once and for all.
And last week, Bibi slammed Western leaders who recognised the State of Palestine during his UN speech.
The 20-point plan would end the war in Gaza
AFPTony Blair will lead an interim postwar government[/caption]