Gaza peace plan

Not to be confused with 2020 Trump Israel–Palestine plan, January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire, or Donald Trump's February 2025 Gaza Strip proposal.

Gaza peace plan

U.S. President Donald Trump (right), beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left), announcing the proposal
Context	Ending the Gaza war Israeli–Palestinian conflict October 7 attacks Gaza war hostage crisis Gaza genocide
Drafted	September 29, 2025 (2025-09-29)
Signed	October 9, 2025 (2025-10-09)
Effective	October 10, 2025 (2025-10-10)
Mediators	United States Qatar Turkey Egypt
Parties	Israel Hamas

On September 29, 2025, United States president Donald Trump announced a new plan to address the ongoing Gaza war and the broader Middle Eastern crisis in a press conference at the White House alongside Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The plan was negotiated with the consultation of many Arab and Muslim countries from around the world and constitutes a new ceasefire and release of all hostages in phase one. Commonly referred to in news reports as Trump's 20-point plan, it is different from Trump's February 2025 Gaza Strip proposal, and contains 20 specific points, not all of which Hamas has agreed to. On September 29, Trump gave Hamas a deadline to accept the proposal by October 5, 2025, or face "all hell".

Hamas won elections in 2006 and formed a government, first alone, then in a grand national coalition with Fatah, but then seized Gaza in 2007. Since then, repeated clashes with Israel escalated into major conflicts, culminating in Hamas carrying out the October 7 attacks in 2023, which triggered a large-scale Israeli military campaign and genocide. Interim ceasefires in late 2023 and early 2025 collapsed, and fighting resumed with an Israeli surprise attack in March 2025. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, the return of hostages, prisoner exchanges, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, the deployment of an international stabilization force, transitional governance by Palestinian technocrats under international supervision, large-scale reconstruction, and a conditional pathway toward acceptance of Palestinian self-determination and recognition of Palestinian statehood.

The plan was met with support from many countries around the world, including France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Before Trump's statement, a senior Hamas official said that Hamas rejected the demilitarization terms that appeared in Trump's plan.

On October 3, 2025, in response to the proposal, Hamas agreed to release any remaining hostages in Gaza and "hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independent technocrats", though it did not agree to disarm or forgo influence in Gaza. In response to a CNN reporter's question about what would happen if Hamas insisted on remaining in power, Trump said the group would face "complete obliteration".

On October 8, Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement and signed the first phase of the deal. Under this phase, all living hostages are to be released in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences, within 72 hours and Israel will also withdraw its forces to pre-designated lines within the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire went into effect on October 10.

Background

This section is an excerpt from Israeli–Palestinian peace process.[edit]

Intermittent discussions are held by various parties and proposals put forward in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict through a peace process. Since the 1970s, there has been a parallel effort made to find terms upon which peace can be agreed to in both this conflict and the wider Arab–Israeli conflict. Notably, the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel included discussions on plans for Palestinian autonomy, but did not include any Palestinian representatives. The autonomy plan would later not be implemented, but its stipulations would to a large extent be represented in the Oslo Accords.

Despite the failure of the peace process to produce a final agreement, the international consensus has for decades supported a two-state solution to the conflict, based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 and 338. This includes the establishment of an independent Palestinian state under the pre-1967 borders including East Jerusalem and a just resolution to the refugee question based on the Palestinian right of return (in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194, though Israel disputes this interpretation). This is in contrast to the current situation under the Oslo Accords in which the Palestinian territories are divided into areas of varying jurisdiction between Israeli military control and the Palestinian National Authority (PA), with the PA only having partial self-rule in Area A of the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. A final settlement as stipulated by the Oslo Accords has yet to be reached.

Background to the Gaza war

Further information: Background to the Gaza war

As part of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Gaza has been occupied by Israel since 1967 along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The International Court of Justice has ruled the occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal under international law. Following the 2005 Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip, control of the area was transferred to the Palestinian Authority. Hamas, a Palestinian nationalist Islamist political and militant group, which had previously been responsible for suicide bombings inside Israel, was elected as the Palestinian legislator the next year. After a battle with rival Fatah in 2007, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip. Hamas's takeover led Israel and Egypt to impose a blockade on Gaza. Over the years, the two sides have engaged in several conflicts, with Hamas intensifying its rocket attacks against Israel, and Israel launching airstrikes and military operations in the Gaza Strip.

In October 2023, Hamas launched the October 7 attacks infiltrating Israel from Gaza via multiple routes. The attack began with thousands of rockets fired into Israel and was followed by massacres in multiple border towns, kibbutzim and in the Nova music festival. The attack killed 1,195 people, mostly civilians. Hamas militants also took around 251 hostages and captives. The assault prompted significant Israeli military retaliation, escalating into the Gaza war, which involved a large-scale invasion and bombardment of the Gaza Strip by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). According to the Gaza Health Ministry, around 67,000 people have been killed in the conflict, mostly civilians, with a significantly higher number of casualties. Israel's conduct during the Gaza war has led to a scholarly consensus that it is committing genocide in Gaza.

November 2023 ceasefire

On November 24, 2023, after a long fighting period between Israel and Hamas, a ceasefire was achieved due to efforts of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. At first the ceasefire was meant to last 4 days with the release of 50 Israeli hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners, while more humanitarian aid was sent into Gaza. The ceasefire was extended twice based on further hostage releases but ultimately ended on December 1 after both sides accused each other of violations.

January 2025: second ceasefire starts

On January 19, 2025, another ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began, after an agreement reached on January 15 following months of negotiation mediated once again by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. The ceasefire had three stages; the first stage saw the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. During that time Israeli troops withdrew from populated areas in Gaza, while humanitarian aid was sent in along with displaced Palestinians returning home. During the first stage of the ceasefire, talks were supposed to begin between both parties for a more permanent cessation of hostilities in a proposed second and third stages, in which more hostages would have been released by Hamas, and Israel would have released more prisoners, completely withdraw its forces, and Gaza would be reconstructed.

On January 20, 2025, U.S. President Joe Biden's presidential term ended, and he left completion of the ceasefire agreement in the hands of his successor, Donald Trump. Both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lead government parties on the right; though the two leaders had disagreements, Trump was seen at the time as more likely to favor Israel and give it permission to do as it pleased with Palestinian territory.

February 2025 Gaza Strip proposal

This paragraph is an excerpt from Donald Trump's February 2025 Gaza Strip proposal.[edit]

On 4 February 2025, United States president Donald Trump declared his intent for the U.S. to take over administrative control of the Gaza Strip. The proposal was made during a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militants. Trump expressed his vision to re-develop the territory into the "Riviera of the Middle East". The plan would call for the forced displacement of approximately 2 million Palestinians to neighboring lands. It would also require the removal of over 50 million tonnes of debris and unexploded ordnance. When asked how the territory will be acquired, Trump claimed the U.S. will "take it". The proposal received negative reception from several nations and organizations, contrasting with strong support from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

March 2025: second ceasefire collapses

After completion of the agreement's first phase, Israel proposed extending the first stage. Hamas rejected this saying the ceasefire should proceed to the second phase as originally agreed. On March 18, 2025, Israel launched a surprise attack on the Gaza Strip, ending the ceasefire. The United States and Israel blamed Hamas for the collapse of the ceasefire by refusing to release additional hostages while Hamas accused Israel of causing the collapse of the ceasefire.

September 2025 proposal and subsequent statements

At the White House press conference on September 29, 2025, U.S. president Donald Trump stated that the United States would play an active role in ensuring Israel's security following a new ceasefire agreement. He emphasized that if Hamas accepted the deal, all hostages, both living and deceased, would be released almost immediately. Trump also expressed his intention to end the war and noted that he was "hearing that Hamas wants to get this done".

Trump stated that Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 in an effort to promote peace, stating, "They said, You take it. This is our contribution to peace. But that didn't work out." Trump further mentioned that during his meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu had clearly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state and criticized other countries that had "foolishly" recognized one. He added that Israel and other nations were "beyond very close" to reaching a deal to end the war, thanking Netanyahu for his efforts. Trump reiterated that the agreement would involve Arab countries and could lead to broader peace in the Middle East.

Trump called the 20-point plan an "extremely fair proposal" and urged Hamas to accept it, expressing confidence that a positive response would be forthcoming, though he affirmed Israel's right to act if Hamas rejected the deal. On October 3, 2025, Trump gave Hamas a deadline of October 5, 2025, 18:00 Washington D.C. time (22:00 GMT), to accept the proposed agreement. In an interview to CNN the next day, Trump threatened Hamas, stating that if it refused to give up control of Gaza it would face "complete obliteration".

On October 8, in a Fox News interview, Trump said there was a "set of circumstances" that enabled the agreement, including Israeli and American strikes in Iran aimed at destroying the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. The immediate triggering event that reportedly caused Trump to force Israel to end the war was the Israeli attack on Doha, which violated Qatar's territorial integrity in a failed attempt to kill Hamas negotiators. European and Arab countries also strongly backed the proposal, with Arab countries having close commercial and diplomatic ties to Trump, more European countries promising to recognize Palestine as a state, and increasing global opinion criticising the Gaza genocide. Due to domestic political differences, Trump felt freer to put pressure on Israel, and in the months of his second term, Israel had achieved all of its major military objectives in Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza.

Several commenters argued that the timing of the deal was motivated by Trump's desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The 2025 prize, announced on October 10, 2025, was not awarded to Trump. Since January 2025, Donald Trump expressed his wish to be awarded the prize. Political scientist Scott Lucas opined that Trump was "desperate" to obtain the prize because former US president Barack Obama won the 2009 prize. Trump justified his qualification for the prize by claiming to have "ended seven wars". On October 9, Nina Graeger of Peace Research Institute Oslo argued that Trump had "not yet made a substantial enough contribution to peace to win the prize". She stated that it was "too early" to judge if Trump's involvement in the Gaza war would "lead to lasting peace". Graeger stated that Trump's withdrawals from international agreements, his proposed acquisition of Greenland, and his "infringements on basic democratic rights" in the US weakened his case.

Outline

The plan's 20 points are as follows:

1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.
3. If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.
5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7, 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.
8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025, agreement.
9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the "Board of Peace", which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including former prime minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump's peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.
10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.
11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.
12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.
13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.
14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.
15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.
16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the United States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.
17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.
18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.
19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.
20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

Components

Map of the Trump plan for the ending of the Gaza war (more detailed version of the phase one withdrawal line shown on map below)

Phase 1: immediate ceasefire and humanitarian actions

The plan mandates an immediate cessation of hostilities, with all military operations suspended and frontlines frozen. All Israeli hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned within 72 hours. Palestinian prisoners will be released, including 250 life sentence prisoners and 1,700 individuals arrested since the war began. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.

Phase 2: demilitarization and security measures

Further information: International Stabilization Force

The proposed strategy includes the destruction of Hamas's offensive weaponry, such as tunnels and military infrastructure, to neutralize their capacity for further violence. The statement says that Gaza will be "a de-radicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors". It also offers amnesty to Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence, with safe passage provided for those opting for exile. Additionally, a temporary international stabilization force, composed of U.S., Arab, and European personnel, would be deployed to oversee security and facilitate the training of a Palestinian police force, ensuring long-term stability and peace.

Phase 3: governance and reconstruction

Main article: Gaza International Transitional Authority

A transitional administration, led by Palestinian technocrats and supervised by an international body, is planned to be established in phase 3 to manage day-to-day governance and oversee the rehabilitation of infrastructure. Humanitarian aid is to be delivered without interference, with international organizations such as the United Nations and the Red Crescent overseeing its distribution to ensure fairness and efficiency. Additionally, efforts are planned to encourage Palestinians to remain in Gaza, offering support to those choosing to stay and rebuild their communities.

Recognition of Palestinian statehood

See also: Two-state solution

The strategy includes the acknowledgment of Palestine as a state, contingent upon successful reconstruction efforts and necessary reforms within the Palestinian Authority. To pave the way for long-term peace, a dialogue would be initiated between Israel and the Palestinians to establish a political framework that promotes peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding. Although the plan recognizes the Palestinian state as a possibility that is "the aspiration of the Palestinian people", it does not say that the United States would recognize Palestine as a state.

Negotiations

Phase one

On September 30, Donald Trump's proposal was forwarded to Hamas and Trump stated that the group had "three or four days" to respond to the plan. Hamas has announced that they were studying the proposal "in good faith".

On October 2, reports emerged that Hamas's political leadership in Qatar were open to accepting the proposed deal and asked for additional clauses for international guarantees concerning Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the safety of its leadership. However, Hamas's leader in the Gaza Strip itself, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, has been reported to have objections to the proposal. An investigation by the New York Times found widespread support for the plan amongst civilians in the Gaza Strip, with many urging Hamas to accept the deal. The Egyptian and Qatari governments continued working to convince Hamas to accept the proposal.

On October 3, Trump gave Hamas a deadline of Sunday October 5, 2025, 18:00 Washington D.C. time (22:00 GMT), to accept the proposed deal. Later that day, Hamas announced that they would release all Israeli hostages, living and deceased and expressed willingness to negotiate on Trump's proposed plan, though it did not agree to disarm or forgo influence in Gaza. Trump responded by saying that he believes that Hamas is "ready for lasting peace", and urged Israel to "immediately stop bombing Gaza" to allow for the safe release of hostages. Despite Trump's request for it to stop, Israel continued its bombing up to October 5, killing 70 Palestinians, stating, in one of those strikes, that it targeted a Hamas militant who posed a threat to its forces, expressing regret for harm to uninvolved civilians, and saying it "works to mitigate harm to uninvolved civilians as much as possible".

On October 4, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the armed forces to halt their offensive in Gaza City in response to Trump's demands. It was reported that talks between Palestinian factions, including Hamas, regarding the future governance of Gaza would take place in Cairo. US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner were reported to be heading to Cairo to finalise the technical details of the hostage release and discuss the lasting peace deal. Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas were planned to take place over the next few days in Egypt. Later that evening, Trump posted on social media that Israel "has agreed to the initial withdrawal line" and that when Hamas confirms, a ceasefire will "be IMMEDIATELY effective".

On October 5, it was reported that the talks would be held in Sharm el Sheikh. The Israeli delegation would be led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and the Hamas delegation led by Khalil Al-Hayya. Trump stated that the talks may take "a couple of days" and called for "everyone to move fast", adding, "I am told that the first phase should be completed this week."

On October 6, negotiators from Israel and Hamas began indirect talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt to discuss the release of the remaining Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoner exchange mediated by Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish and US officials. The talks lasted for around four hours and ended on a positive note, with a road map agreed for further talks the following day.

Two rounds of negotiations were held on October 7, with sources describing "progress" being made. US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani were expected to join the talks on October 8. A five-point agenda for further talks, covering ending the war, prisoner and hostage exchange, Israeli withdrawal, humanitarian assistance and post-war was agreed.

Secretary Rubio briefing President Trump that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the peace deal; October 8, 2025.

On October 8, Trump was handed a handwritten note from secretary of state Marco Rubio during a live television appearance stating an agreement was "very close" and that he would need to "approve a Truth social post soon so you can announce deal first". Shortly thereafter, reports emerged that an agreement had been reached and would be signed the following day. Trump subsequently confirmed that an agreement on the first phase of the deal had been approved by both sides, posting on social media that, "I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan." The agreement was signed in Egypt at 12 noon local time on October 9. Hostages were to be freed over the weekend or early the following week, with Hamas releasing 20 living hostages in exchange for Israel's release of 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences and 1,700 prisoners that had been detained since the war began.

On October 13, Hamas released the 20 living hostages and Israel began to release the Palestinian prisoners.

Phase two

Vice president of the Palestinian Authority, Hussein al-Sheikh, met with Tony Blair on October 12, 2025, to discuss the ceasefire and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.

An international summit on the next phase of the peace plan was convened on October 13 in Sharm El Shaikh, Egypt. Prior to the summit, Trump stated that negotiations for phase two of the peace plan had begun.

On 14 October, Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty stated that fifteen Palestinian technocrats had been chosen to lead a post-war interim administration for the Gaza Strip. He added that the list had been agreed by all Palestinian factions, including Hamas, and had been vetted by Israel.

Implementation

Phase one

The first part of the peace plan, titled the "Implementation Steps for President Trump's Proposal for a Comprehensive End of Gaza War", was signed by Israel and Hamas on October 9, 2025, in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. The agreed to text was as follows:

Implementation Steps for President Trump's Proposal for a "Comprehensive End of Gaza War"

Implementation Steps:

1. President Trump announces the end to the war in the Gaza Strip, and that the parties have agreed to implement the necessary steps to that end.

2. The war will immediately end upon the approval of the Israeli government. All military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment and targeting operations will be suspended. During the 72-hour period, aerial surveillance will be suspended over the areas which IDF forces have withdrawn from.

3. Immediate commencement of full entry of humanitarian aid and relief as determined in the Proposal, and at a minimum in consistence with the 19 January 2025 agreement regarding humanitarian aid. Humanitarian aid and relief implementation steps are attached herewith.

4. The IDF will withdraw to the lines agreed upon, as per map X attached herewith, and this will be completed after President Trump's announcement and within 24 hours of Israeli government's approval. The IDF will not return to areas it has withdrawn from, as long as Hamas fully implements the agreement.

5. Within 72 hours of the withdrawal of Israeli forces, all Israeli hostages, living and deceased, held in Gaza will be released (list attached).

a. As soon as the IDF completes the withdrawal, Hamas will commence investigating the status of the hostages and collect all information pertaining to them. Hamas will provide feedback on its findings through the information-sharing mechanism under 5.e below. Israel will provide information on the Palestinian prisoners and detainees from the Gaza Strip held in Israel.

b. Within the 72 hours, Hamas will release all living hostages, including those held by the Palestinian factions in Gaza.

c. Within the 72 hours, Hamas will release the remains of the deceased hostages in its possession and those in the possession of the Palestinian factions in Gaza

d. Hamas will share, within the 72 hours, all the information it obtained relating to any remaining deceased hostages through the information-sharing mechanism in paragraph (e) below. Israel will provide information on the remains of the deceased Gazans held by Israel.

e. Establishment of an information-sharing mechanism between the two sides through the mediators and the ICRC, to exchange information and intelligence on any remaining deceased hostages that were not retrieved within the 72 hours or remains of Gazans held by Israel. The mechanism shall ensure that the remains of all the hostages are fully and safely exhumed and released. Hamas shall exert maximum effort to ensure the fulfillment of these commitments as soon as possible.

f. As Hamas releases all the hostages, Israel will release in parallel the corresponding number of Palestinian prisoners as per the attached lists.

g. The exchange of hostages and prisoners will be done according to the mechanism agreed upon through the mediators and through the ICRC without any public ceremonies or media coverage

6. A task force will be formed of representatives from the United States, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and other countries agreed upon by the parties, to follow-up on the implementation with the two sides and coordinate with them.

Agreed timeline

Implementation Steps for President Trump's Proposal for a Comprehensive End of Gaza War

The timeline is as follows:

• US president Donald Trump announces the end of the war in the Gaza Strip
• Hostilities will cease once the agreement is approved by the Israeli cabinet
• Entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip will commence upon the cessation of hostilities
• Israeli armed forces will commence withdrawing to the lines agreed upon approval of the agreement with this process being completed within 24 hours
• All living hostages should be released within 72 hours of the completion of the withdrawal of Israeli forces
• All remains of deceased hostages within Hamas's possession should be returned within 72 hours of the completion of the withdrawal of Israeli forces
• Palestinian prisoners to be released in parallel with the release of Israeli hostages
• A task force including representatives from the United States, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and other countries is to be formed to monitor on the implementation of the agreement.

Cessation of hostilities

Phase one withdrawal line shown in yellow

The Israeli cabinet approved the agreement in the early hours of October 10, 2025. Subsequently, the Israeli armed forces began withdrawing from parts of the Gaza Strip to agreed-upon deployment lines. The withdrawal was completed at 12 noon local time on October 10, at which point the ceasefire formally came into effect. The United States began establishing a joint control centre under the leadership of Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, to monitor the cessation of hostilities.

On October 11, Brad Cooper, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner travelled into the Gaza Strip to verify Israel's compliance with the first phase of the agreement.

On October 12, Hamas announced it was prepared to transfer the 20 living hostages to Israel. In response, Netanyahu stated, "Israel is prepared and ready for the immediate reception of all our hostages." Israeli sources indicated they believed Hamas would release the hostages before midnight on Sunday so that they would be under Israeli care when Trump arrived in Israel on Monday morning. Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons Gal Hirsch said the most "realistic" time for the hostages' return is 6 or 7 a.m. on Monday, though there are reports they could return earlier. That evening, Trump declared that "The war is over" and that the Board of Peace and interim administration would be formed quickly.

Release of hostages and exchange of prisoners

On October 13 at 8 a.m., in Gaza City, Hamas released 7 hostages to the Red Cross and then into the custody of IDF troops. Around 11 a.m., in the southern Gaza Strip, Hamas released the additional 13 living hostages to the Red Cross and then into the custody of IDF troops. Hamas ultimately decided to return the remains of four of the dead hostages later on October 13, despite agreeing to release all 28. According to Israeli officials the released hostages were aged 22–48, and included a pair of twin brothers and IDF soldiers. Hamas permitted certain hostages to conduct video calls with their families shortly prior to their release. Following their release, the hostages were transported to medical facilities, including Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, for evaluation and treatment. They faced a range of health issues, including malnutrition, loss of muscle and fat, shrapnel injuries, burns, and other physical trauma. Some also experienced complications from overfeeding shortly before their release after months of starvation.

Immediately following the release of the hostages, U.S. President Trump visited Israel and addressed Israel's Parliament, the Knesset, celebrating the release of hostages and calling for a commitment to end fighting and rebuild Gaza. He described the ceasefire as marking "not only the end of war, but the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God," and stated that Israel had "won all that it can by force of arms… Now it is time to translate these victories… into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East." He urged Palestinians to "turn forever from the path of terror and violence" and extended an appeal to Iran for "friendship and cooperation." Trump also highlighted the role of Arab and Muslim countries in pressuring Hamas to release hostages, calling it "an incredible triumph for Israel to have all these nations working together as partners in peace."

Later on October 13, 2025, during a ceremony in Gaza, the Israeli Defense Forces received the caskets containing the bodies of four deceased hostages and then brought the caskets out of Gaza and into Israel after crossing the Gaza-Israel border. The deceased hostages were aged between 22 and 53, and included a Nepalese agriculture student and an IDF soldier.

After the return of the living hostages, Israel began releasing Palestinian prisoners, including 1,718 Gazan detainees arrested over the course of the war. About 1,700 of these Gazans had been held without charge. Prior to the release, 11,056 Palestinians were held in Israeli prisons according to HaMoked, with about 3,500 of those held in administrative detention without trial. Some of the released prisoners were seen with protruding cheekbones, showing signs of recent beatings and had to be supported by relatives as they were unable to walk and when pressed about treatment in Israeli prisons by reporters many did not respond due to concerns of repercussions by Israeli authorities. Among the released were 250 Palestinians who had been serving one or more life terms, most for deadly attacks on Israelis, while others had been convicted of lesser offenses, according to the Justice Ministry. Of these, 154 were expelled to Egypt, from where they are expected to be relocated to third countries, while the remainder returned to their homes in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza.

Violations and deviations

By Hamas

• Israel accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire on October 13, when it returned the remains of four deceased Israeli hostages; under the agreement, the remains of all hostages in the possession of Palestinian armed groups should be returned on the same day. The plan contains provisions for Hamas to share information with Israel on the deceased hostages that could not be returned within the first 72 hours. Egyptian teams were sent to the Gaza Strip to assist with the location of hostages' bodies. Hamas stated that it faced obstacles in recovering the bodies, as not all burial sites had been identified. A spokesperson for the Red Cross has warned that it would be a "massive challenge" to find the remains of all deceased hostages amongst the rubble and stated that there was a possibility some may never be found, noting the difficulty of locating bodies in the rubble of Gaza.

By Israel

• On October 14, Israeli forces killed at least seven Palestinians, six in Gaza City, including five by an aerial attack in Shuja'iyya and one by a drone strike in Khan Yunis. The Israeli military said that the attacks in Shuja'iyya targeted individuals who advanced beyond the 'yellow line' after ignoring warning shots. Hamas spokesperson, Hazem Qassem, condemned the attacks, calling them a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

• On October 14, Israel warned that the Rafah border crossing may not be reopened the following day and the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into the Gaza Strip would be reduced as a consequence of Hamas's failure to return the remains of all deceased hostages. Following the return of three more bodies later that day and the announcement that further returns would take place the next day, Israel cancelled plans to reduce the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Opinions

According to an analysis published in The Wall Street Journal, Hamas's shift towards agreeing to the peace deal was primarily driven by growing diplomatic pressure both from within and outside the group. This pressure stemmed from Arab and other Muslim countries, especially Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar, who urged Hamas to accept the agreement. Their pressure was influenced by Trump's efforts and by the Israeli attacks in Lebanon, Iran, and Qatar, which heightened fears in the Arab world of Israel's growing power. Additionally, Hamas faced pressure at home, where the people in Gaza were suffering from hunger and destruction and simply wanted the war to end. These factors combined to force Hamas into agreeing to release the hostages and sign the first part of the peace deal, as it saw no other way to end the war.

Historian Rashid Khalidi stated on October 13, 2025, that the Trump 20-point plan was not a genuine peace process, since it consisted of a ceasefire, a hostage exchange, and a temporary lift of the Israeli blockade of Gaza, but did not contain plans for "completely equal rights for all individuals and both peoples". Diana Buttu wrote that Palestinians should not have needed to "negotiate an end to their own genocide". Belén Fernández wrote in Al Jazeera that Tony Blair's inclusion in the transitional government "smacks rather hard of colonialism" and that Blair's support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq should preclude him from any role on the "Board of Peace".

Reactions

Palestine and Israel

Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, October 9, 2025, following the announcement of the impending release of Israeli hostages. Artwork says "Matan [Angrest] is coming home!"

Teddy Stadium with sign "Thank you president Trump"

Support in the Israeli government was mixed. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich denounced the plan as "a historic missed opportunity" which will force Israel to "fight in Gaza again". Leader of the Opposition Yair Lapid endorsed the plan and said, "Israel should announce it is joining the discussions led by the president to finalize the details of the deal."

Israeli opposition politician Benny Gantz lauded "Trump's extraordinary efforts to secure a hostage deal and safeguard Israeli security" and said the plan "must be implemented, our hostages brought home, Israel's operational freedom maintained, Hamas's terror regime in Gaza replaced, and moderate Arab States instated instead as I proposed a year and a half ago".

On October 12, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the "military campaign is not over" and that Israel's enemies were "trying to recover in order to attack us again". Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that "Israel's great challenge after the phase of returning the hostages will be the destruction of all of Hamas' terror tunnels in Gaza." Katz said he "instructed the IDF to prepare to carry out the mission."

The Palestinian Authority called Trump's efforts "sincere and determined" and said that it is committed to holding new parliamentary and presidential elections within a year of the war's end, changing school curriculum, and forming a new security force, while affirming its desire for a "modern, democratic, and non-militarized Palestinian state, committed to pluralism and the peaceful transfer of power".

Taher al-Nounou, a senior Hamas official, said in September they were not consulted about the current proposal and, in any case, they will not accept the demilitarization offer as Israel has demanded. Hamas leader in Gaza, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, reportedly objected to the proposal as he is thought to believe that the plan aims to finish Hamas. Hamas's political leadership in Qatar have been reported to be open to accepting the proposal with certain amendments. On October 3, 2025, Hamas issued an official response, declaring its readiness to release all hostages, to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to independent Palestinian technocrats and to negotiate further details.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah called the plan an attempt by Israel to impose through the U.S. "what it could not achieve through war" and condemned "the American-Israeli declaration" as "a recipe for blowing up the region". Following Hamas's agreement to the plan, the PIJ followed suit and said Hamas's response "represents the stance of the Palestinian resistance forces".

In the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, senior member Abu Ali Hassan, said that the plan is "a recipe for managing the war and prolonging it, not for its end". He also called the plan "a desperate attempt to separate Gaza from the Palestinian territorial entity".

International

Gaza peace summit on October 13, 2025

International leaders widely welcomed the ceasefire, affirmed its importance, and hoped it would lead to lasting peace. Argentine president Javier Milei stated that Trump should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney praised the efforts of Trump, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey in negotiating the agreement and called on Israel and Hamas to carry out their commitment to free all hostages.

On October 6, 2025, High Representative Kaja Kallas announced that the European Union seeks a role in the proposed transitional authority for Gaza, stating, "we feel that Europe has a great role and we should be also on board with this." The European Union has two overseas operations in the Palestinian territories, the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Rafah and the European Union Mission for the Support of Palestinian Police and Rule of Law.

The United Nations special rapporteur for human rights "expressed hope for a permanent ceasefire" but said that multiple portions of the plan contradicted international law and the ICJ ruling on Israel's occupation of Palestine.

See also

• Arab Peace Initiative
• Road map for peace

Bibliography

• Farah, Randa (October 31, 2013) [2003]. "The Marginalization of Palestinian Refugees". In Niklaus Steiner; Mark Gibney; Gil Loescher (eds.). Problems of Protection: The UNHCR, Refugees, and Human Rights. New York: Routledge. pp. 160–. ISBN 978-1-135-39548-3. OCLC 863822377.

External links

• Israel–Palestine live tracker by Liveuamap