Payam Javan: U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sept. 29 that they had agreed to a U.S.-proposed, 20-point Gaza peace plan introduced the previous week, calling the accord a potential breakthrough in efforts to end the conflict. The leaders held a joint White House press conference to unveil the framework, but both acknowledged that the agreement cannot move forward without the consent of Hamas. Netanyahu warned that if Hamas rejects the proposal Israel will “finish the job by itself,” and Trump pledged full U.S. support in that scenario.

The plan calls for an Israeli withdrawal to an agreed line, a suspension of military operations in Gaza, and the release of hundreds of detainees, including 250 prisoners serving life sentences and some 1,700 Gazans held after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. It proposes a transitional, technocratic Palestinian authority to run day-to-day services in Gaza until the Palestinian Authority completes reforms that would open a “credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination.” The White House also announced creation of a new international “Board of Peace,” to be chaired by Trump, to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction and governance transition, with high-profile figures such as Tony Blair expected to play roles.

With Israel’s public acceptance, the White House has given Hamas 72 hours to release all hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023, raising the central question of whether Hamas — and influential Arab states — will pressure the group to accept the deal. Trump said multiple regional leaders back the plan, but officials warned that rejection by Hamas would prompt continued Israeli military action. The agreement’s success therefore hinges on Hamas’s response and the ability of regional and international actors to secure compliance and stabilize Gaza.