President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan is a high-wire diplomatic act, attempting to balance Israel’s security demands with the urgent need for Palestinian humanitarian aid. The proposal achieves this by conditioning massive relief for Gaza on the complete elimination of Hamas as a military threat.
The plan’s primary security guarantee for Israel is the required surrender and disarmament of Hamas. This addresses Israel’s core demand to remove the group that launched the October 7, 2023 attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s acceptance of the plan signals his approval of this framework.
On the other side of the equation, the plan offers a lifeline to the Palestinian people. It mandates an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, ending the military campaign that has killed over 66,000. Crucially, it promises an immediate and massive influx of aid to combat starvation and begin the process of reconstruction.
Trump has presented this balanced approach to a wide array of international partners, from Canada to Russia, who have all reportedly welcomed it. This broad support is now being used as leverage against Hamas, which has been given a short 3-4 day window to accept the deal.
The success of this balancing act now hinges entirely on Hamas. The group must decide if the promise of aid and an end to suffering for their people is worth the price of their own disarmament and political demise.