At the
heart of the plan are four pillars: 1) an immediate ceasefire if accepted, 2) release
of hostages within 72 hours, 3) a phased Israeli withdrawal, and 4) disarmament
of Hamas. On paper, this sounds like a path out of a devastating war. In
reality, it looks more like an ultimatum dressed as diplomacy.
The governance structure proposed is even more telling. Gaza
would not return to the Palestinians in any meaningful sense but be handed over
to a technocratic committee under international oversight. A “Board of Peace”
chaired by Trump—flanked by international figures like Tony Blair—would
supervise the transition. Hamas,
the very power broker in Gaza, is not only excluded but delegitimized entirely.
This is less a peace plan than a regime-change blueprint.
The Trump–Netanyahu
warning was clear, Hamas must accept the plan “the easy way,” or Israel—with
full American backing—will impose “the hard way.” This is not mediation; it is
coercion.
For Netanyahu, who faces political vulnerability at home, US
cover for renewed aggression is a golden ticket. For Trump, the deal enhances
his image as a global dealmaker ahead of a bruising election cycle.
Yet the glaring omission remains Palestinian statehood. By
skirting this fundamental issue, the plan buys short-term tactical gains but
undermines any sustainable settlement.
Arab
capitals, from Cairo to Doha, understand that without Hamas’ consent, the
blueprint collapses under its own weight. No technocratic committee or
international board can govern Gaza in defiance of its most powerful actor.
Trump and Netanyahu call this peace. In truth, it is a
gamble - either Hamas yields, or Gaza is marched toward another round of
bloodshed under international applause.
Far from solving the conflict, the deal risks deepening it. A plan that sidelines one side while empowering the other is not peace—it is merely the pause before the storm.
