Trump gives 4-day ultimatum to Hamas

Under 20-point proposal, the militant group would have to disarm in return for an end to the fight broke out after attacks by Hamas-led armed groups in October 2023 in Israel

- Agencies

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) said that Hamas has “about three or four days” to respond to the Gaza peace plan. After Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu threw his support behind the US peace plan for Gaza, the question now is whether Hamas will agree.

Hamas faces a bitter trade-off - the proposal demands that the militant group effectively surrender in return for uncertain gains. But if it rejects the deal, the US could give Israel an even freer hand to continue its punishing campaign in the already devastated territory.

Under the proposal, the militant group would have to disarm in return for an end to fighting, humanitarian aid for Palestinians, and the promise of reconstruction in Gaza - all desperately hoped for by its population.

But the proposal has only a vague promise that, one day, perhaps, Palestinian statehood might be possible. For the foreseeable future, Gaza and its more than 2 million Palestinians would be put under international control. An international security force would move in, and a “Board of Peace” headed by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would oversee Gaza’s administration and reconstruction. The territory would remain surrounded by Israeli troops.

Trump and Netanyahu said they agreed on the plan Monday after talks at the White House.

The proposal includes one provision that Netanyahu and his hard-line government most strongly oppose: It says the Palestinian Authority will eventually govern Gaza. But Netanyahu is likely betting that it will never come to pass.

Israel also rejects a Palestinian state.

The White House has released President Donald Trump's plan to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supported the plan following a meeting with Trump at the White House on Monday, but it's unclear if Hamas will accept these terms.

Here is Trump's proposal, verbatim:

De-radicalisation