In the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump presented a 20-point plan to achieve peace in the Gaza Strip.
"Today is an important day for peace", Trump said. At a joint press conference at the White House, he thanked Netanyahu "for agreeing to the plan and for the confidence that if we work together, we can end the death and destruction that we have seen for so many years, decades, even centuries".
What does Trump's peace plan envisage?
Crucially, the plan paves the way for the creation of a Palestinian state - something Israel has consistently and categorically opposed. The plan calls for the release of 20 live hostages held in Gaza and the return of the bodies of the dead, in exchange for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinians held in Israel. This must happen within 48 hours of the agreement being signed.
"After all the hostages are released, Israel will release 250 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained since October 7. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are returned, Israel will return the bodies of 15 deceased Gazans," the Washington Post reported.
The plan also calls for the removal of the terrorist organization Hamas from power and a commitment by it to disarm. The document also calls for reform of the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, currently under Israeli occupation, and a pledge by Israel not to launch further attacks on Qatar, which is trying to mediate in the conflict.
Other points in the peace plan include: Gaza to get an economic growth plan and people who have left the area to be given the opportunity to return. A key point in the peace proposal are security guarantees for Gaza, to which the United States and regional powers will personally commit.
According to the plan, Gaza will initially be governed by a transitional government, which will be supervised by an international "Peace Board" - led by Trump and involving other leaders such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Hamas members will be given the opportunity, if they wish, to safely leave the territory and seek refuge in other countries.
In addition, the Israeli armed forces must immediately cease all operations after the agreement is signed and hand over all captured territories. Israel must also commit not to occupy or annex Gaza. A UN Human Rights Council inquiry found earlier this month that Israel committed genocide against the Palestinians.
Guarantees are also being planned that aid from international organizations will be able to reach Gaza unhindered.
How was the peace plan developed?
US envoy Steve Witkoff said on September 23 that Trump presented the plan at a meeting with leaders of Arab and Muslim countries - Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan - at the United Nations that same day. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was not allowed to attend the UN General Assembly, where the parallel meeting was held, after the US government refused to issue him a visa. The countries participating in the meeting approved it - their joint statement stated that they "reaffirm their commitment to cooperate with President Trump and emphasize the importance of his leading role in ending the war". It later became clear that the plan was supported by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, headed by the former British Prime Minister. Blair, who is far from popular in the Middle East because of his support for the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, will play a key role in the transitional government, as envisaged by Trump's plan. The plan comes at a time when more and more Western countries, such as the United Kingdom, France and Canada, are recognizing a Palestinian state. Netanyahu called it a "shameful decision". What do Israel and Hamas say? At a joint press conference on Monday, Netanyahu said he supported the plan, stressing that it "achieves our military goals": "It will return all our hostages to Israel, eliminate Hamas's military capabilities, end its political rule and ensure that Gaza will never again pose a threat to Israel," the Israeli prime minister said. Netanyahu called on Hamas to accept the agreement and warned that if it did not, "Israel will finish the job itself". Qatar and Egypt, key mediators in the talks between Israel and Hamas, said they had presented the plan to the militant group. The Associated Press reported that Hamas negotiators were considering the plan "in good faith." Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority welcomed Trump's "sincere and determined efforts," saying it had "confidence in his ability to find a path to peace." Authors: Matthew Pearson, Davis Van Opdorp