WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDNews) – President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza on Monday, Sept. 29, following their White House meeting, describing it as a step toward ending the war and expanding peace in the Middle East. Both leaders declined to take questions from reporters.
Trump called the announcement “a big, big day, a beautiful day, potentially one of the great days ever in civilization,” adding that the plan could move beyond Gaza to achieve what he called “eternal peace in the Middle East.”
The proposal, according to Trump, calls for Hamas to release all remaining hostages within 72 hours if accepted. Arab and Muslim nations would commit to demilitarizing Gaza, dismantling terror infrastructure, and assisting in training local security forces. Trump said Israel would withdraw forces in phases as progress is made.
“If Hamas rejects the deal, which is always possible, they’re the only one left. Everyone else has accepted it. But I have a feeling that we’re going to have a positive answer,” Trump said. He added that if the deal fails, “Israel would have the absolute right and actually our full backing, US full backing, to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas.”
Trump also announced the creation of a new oversight body, the “Board of Peace,” which he said he would lead. “It will be responsible for recruiting and training a new government that will be made up of Palestinians along with highly qualified experts from all around the world,” Trump said.
Netanyahu praised Trump’s leadership and voiced support for the plan. “I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war aims. It will bring back to Israel all our hostages, dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities and its political rule, and ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader emphasized that if Hamas rejects the deal, Israel would act alone. “This can be done the easy way, or it can be done the hard way. But it will be done. We prefer the easy way, but it has to be done,” he said.
Netanyahu also reaffirmed his opposition to a Palestinian state without sweeping reforms by the Palestinian Authority. “That means ending pay to slay, changing the poisonous textbooks that teach hatred to Jews, to Palestinian children, stopping incitement in the media, ending lawfare against Israel at the ICC, the ICJ, recognizing the Jewish state, and many, many other reforms,” he said.
The two leaders pointed to support from Arab and Muslim nations, including Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and others, as key to the plan’s viability. Netanyahu said the agreement could mark “a new beginning for Gaza” and potentially expand the Abraham Accords.
“History has already shown that under your leadership, Israel and America can change the face of the Middle East,” Netanyahu said. “And today I’m hopeful that your plan to end the war in Gaza will do so again and do so soon.”
