Trump and Netanyahu say they've agreed on a plan to end the Gaza war.
Hamas is now reviewing it
[September 30, 2025]
By ADAM GELLER, SAM MEDNICK and AAMER MADHANI
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday laid out a 20-point
proposal supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that
would end the war in Gaza and free remaining hostages, leaning heavily
into conditions that Hamas has previously rejected.
The U.S. president, who has become increasingly frustrated by the bloody
conflict, seems to be betting that the militants are now so decimated
that they have no choice but to accept what he and Netanyahu are framing
as a last, best offer.
“If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President, or if they supposedly accept
it and then do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job
by itself,” Netanyahu said after meeting with Trump at the White House.
“This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it
will be done.”
Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief presented Trump’s
proposal to Hamas negotiators, who are now reviewing it in “good faith,”
according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not
authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The Palestinian government in the occupied West Bank said it welcomed
Trump’s plan to end the war and pledged to implement the reforms called
for in his plan. And the governments of Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia
Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates issued a
joint statement applauding Trump's proposal.
While Trump claimed he is now on the precipice of victory in his long
effort to forge peace, the prospects of a finding an endgame to a war
that is coming up on the start of its third year still appeared shaky.
Many points of tension remain.
There's little mention of the goal of Palestinian statehood, what many
in the region and beyond say is the linchpin for long-term peace. The
proposal largely sidelines the Palestinian Authority until it completes
vast reforms. And a requirement for Hamas to disarm has been dismissed
as a non-starter in earlier negotiations.
Trump's plan calls for establishing a temporary governing committee that
would be headed by Trump and include former British Prime Minister Tony
Blair. A Palestinian committee of technocrats would oversee civilian
affairs, with power handed over later to a reformed Palestinian
Authority.
The plan does not require people to leave the Gaza Strip as laid out in
an earlier Trump plan roundly rejected by Palestinians and regional
leaders.
It does call for all remaining hostages to be released by Hamas within
72 hours of Israel accepting the plan, an effort that would seem
difficult to complete with the captives believed to be spread throughout
the territory. A senior Trump administration official, who was not
authorized to discuss the plan's details publicly, said the 72 hours
starts when Hamas accepts the proposal.
Hundreds of Palestinians, including many serving life sentences, will be
released by Israel, according to the proposal.
“I think we are beyond very close,” Trump said. “We're not quite
finished. We have to get Hamas.”
While Hamas has said in the past that it would agree to step back from
governing Gaza, the militant group has refused to disarm, something
Netanyahu has long demanded as part of any long-term truce to end the
war.
The president promised Netanyahu that Israel would have his
administration’s “full backing” to further decimate Hamas if the group
doesn’t agree to the proposal.
“This is a different Hamas,” Trump said. “Their leadership has been
killed three times over. So you’re really dealing with different
people.”
Netanyahu expresses regret to Qatar
Netanyahu on Monday also attempted to mend fences with Qatar, the key
Hamas interlocutor and an important U.S. ally.
He expressed his regret to his Qatari counterpart for a Sept. 9 military
strike targeting Hamas officials in the Gulf emirate that infuriated
Arab leaders and triggered rare criticism by the U.S. of Israel.
Netanyahu made the call to Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin
Abdulrahman Al Thani, as he met with Trump. Trump described the exchange
between the Israeli and Qatari leaders as a “heart-to-heart” call.
“As a first step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret
that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar
unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman,” the White House said in a
statement. “He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas
leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari
sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack
again in the future.”
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President Donald Trump listens during a news conference with Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the State Dining Room of the
White House, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan
Vucci)
Israel stuck the headquarters of Hamas’ political leadership in
Qatar as the group’s top figures gathered to consider a U.S.
proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The strike on the territory of a U.S. ally was a stunning escalation
and risked upending talks aimed at winding down the war and freeing
hostages. No senior Hamas officials were killed in the strike.
The attack on an energy-rich Gulf nation hosting thousands of
American troops, which has served as a key mediator between Israel
and Hamas throughout the war and even before, was described by Trump
as out of step with Israeli and U.S. interests. And Trump sought to
move quickly to assuage his Qatari allies.
The White House said Sheik Mohammed welcomed Netanyahu’s
“assurances” and emphasized “Qatar’s readiness to continue
contributing meaningfully to regional security and stability.”
But even as the White House was spotlighting the apology, Israel’s
far-right national security minister newly defended the decision to
carry out the attack.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, a key coalition partner of Netanyahu’s, in a
posting on X called the operation “an important, just and ethical
attack.”
“It is very good that it happened,” he added.
Netanyahu's acquiescence comes at a delicate moment
The White House talks, and apology from Netanyahu, come at a tenuous
moment. Israel is increasingly isolated, losing support from many
countries that were long its steadfast allies. At home, Netanyahu’s
governing coalition appears more fragile than ever. And the White
House is showing signs of impatience.
It remains to be seen how Netanyahu will be able to justify to
far-right members of his coalition his acceptance of the proposal
after promising to press against the militant organization until it
was “eliminated.”
The Trump plan indicates that once all hostages are returned, Hamas
members who "commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission
their weapons will be given amnesty." The plan adds that members of
Hamas who wish to leave Gaza would be provided safe passage to
receiving countries.
Trump has been growing more frustrated with conflict
Trump joined forces with Netanyahu during Israel's brief war with
Iran in June, ordering U.S. stealth bombers to strike three nuclear
sites, and he's supported the Israeli leader during his corruption
trial, describing the case as a “witch hunt.” Monday's visit was
Netanyahu's fourth to the White House in the eight months since the
start of Trump's second term.
But the relationship has become more tense lately. Trump was
frustrated by Israel's failed strike on Hamas officials in Qatar.
Last week, Trump vowed to prevent Israel from annexing the West Bank
— an idea promoted by some of Netanyahu's hard-line governing
partners. The international community opposes annexation, saying it
would destroy hopes for a Palestinian state.
Hamas is believed to be holding 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed
by Israel to be alive. The militant group has previously demanded
Israel agree to end the war and withdraw from all of Gaza as part of
any permanent ceasefire.
Trump discussed the plan with Arab and Islamic leaders in New York
last week on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. He hailed
the deal, if it coalesces, as a potential breakthrough moment that
would usher in lasting peace and an era prosperity in the Middle
East.
“I challenge the Palestinians to take responsibility for their
destiny because that’s what we’re giving them. We’re giving them
responsibility for their destiny,” he said.
___
Geller reported from New York, and Mednick reported from Jerusalem.
Associated Press writers Sam Magdy in Cairo; Josef Federman in
Jerusalem; Joseph Krauss in Ottawa, Ontario; Darlene Superville,
Seung Min Kim, Mathew Lee, Chris Megerian, Will Weissert and Tia
Goldenberg in Washington; and Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations
contributed to this report.
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