NEW YORK — The United States has circulated a sweeping 21-point proposal to end the war in Gaza, urging Palestinians to remain in the Strip and envisioning a pathway to eventual Palestinian statehood.
The document, obtained by reporters and authenticated by multiple sources, represents Washington’s boldest attempt yet to chart a political horizon for a conflict that has devastated Gaza and destabilized the wider Middle East.
The plan, shared with a select group of Arab and Muslim nations on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, calls for an immediate halt to hostilities if accepted by both Israel and Hamas.
It lays out conditions for reconstruction, the release of hostages, the disarmament of Hamas, and the creation of a transitional Palestinian governing body under international oversight.
One clause stood out as a dramatic shift from earlier US positions: Palestinians will be encouraged to remain in Gaza and offered opportunities to rebuild their lives there.
This marks a reversal from US President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks in February, when he floated the idea of relocating Gaza’s population of over two million and placing the territory under direct American administration.
“Encouraging Palestinians to remain in Gaza caps off a major evolution for Washington,” one regional diplomat familiar with the plan said. “It sends a message that forced displacement is off the table.”
A pathway to Palestinian statehood
Perhaps the most striking element of the plan is its provision for a future Palestinian state — conditioned on Gaza’s redevelopment and a reformed Palestinian Authority. For decades, the two-state solution has been the centerpiece of international diplomacy, but the Trump administration until now had conspicuously avoided endorsing it.
The new proposal speaks of a “political horizon” for “peaceful coexistence” between Israelis and Palestinians. “When Gaza’s redevelopment has advanced and the Palestinian Authority’s reform program has been implemented, the conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian statehood,” the document states.
For Palestinians, the phrasing offers hope after months of bombardment and decades of occupation. For Israel, however, it raises alarms. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long campaigned on preventing the creation of a Palestinian state.
Addressing the UN General Assembly on Friday, Netanyahu rejected the idea in stark terms: “Giving the Palestinians a state one mile from Jerusalem after October 7th is like giving Al-Qaeda a state one mile from New York City after September 11th. This is sheer madness. It’s insane, and we won’t do it.”
The Israeli premier insisted, “Israel will not allow you to shove a terror state down our throats.”
Hostages, prisoners, and aid
The US plan prioritizes the release of hostages held by Hamas. Within 48 hours of Israel’s acceptance, all living and deceased hostages are to be returned. In exchange, Israel would free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including security detainees serving life sentences, as well as Gazans arrested since the war began.
Once hostages are released, the plan calls for a surge in humanitarian assistance: at least 600 trucks of aid per day, echoing benchmarks set in a January 2025 deal. The United Nations, the Red Crescent, and other international organizations would distribute the supplies, bypassing interference from either Israel or Hamas.
The document further stipulates the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure, rubble removal, and the entry of equipment necessary for rebuilding. “Aid will flow at levels not seen since the conflict began,” said a senior US official, who described the measures as designed to provide “tangible relief for Gaza’s population.”
Disarmament and governance
A key feature of the plan is the demand that Hamas disarm and Gaza be de-radicalized. The text calls for Gaza to become a “terror-free zone” that poses no threat to its neighbors. It also outlines steps for a process of de-radicalization, including interfaith dialogues aimed at changing narratives on both sides.
In place of Hamas rule, Gaza would be governed by a transitional committee of Palestinian technocrats, supervised by an international body established by the US in consultation with Arab and European partners.
This committee would oversee basic services and coordinate redevelopment funding until the Palestinian Authority is deemed reformed and ready to take control.
The proposal explicitly bars Hamas from any role in governance. Members who renounce violence would be granted amnesty, while those who refuse would be offered safe passage to third countries.
Security guarantees and stabilization force
To enforce compliance, the plan envisions the deployment of a temporary international stabilization force drawn from regional and global partners. The force would oversee security, train a Palestinian police body, and gradually replace Israeli troops as they withdraw from the Strip.
Israel, under the plan, would not occupy or annex Gaza. Instead, it would hand over territories in stages as the stabilization force established control. Should Hamas refuse the deal, the proposal allows for partial implementation in “terror-free areas,” with the IDF gradually transferring authority to the international force.
Another notable clause restricts Israel from carrying out future strikes in Qatar, underscoring Doha’s role as a mediator in the conflict.
Trump’s optimism, Netanyahu’s resistance
Despite the plan’s ambition, its fate remains uncertain. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners have openly supported the idea of encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza, making Washington’s call for them to stay potentially explosive in Israeli politics.
For Hamas, the demand for disarmament and de-radicalization may prove impossible to accept. The plan has not yet been formally presented to the group in full.
Still, Trump struck an optimistic tone on Friday. Speaking to reporters, he suggested a deal might already be within reach, later posting on Truth Social: “Intense negotiations have been going on for four days and will continue for as long as necessary to get a successfully completed agreement.
All of the countries within the region are involved, Hamas is very much aware of these discussions, and Israel has been informed at all levels, including Bibi Netanyahu.”
The president’s comments suggest that talks are already active, though one source familiar with the matter confirmed that Hamas had not yet received the proposal in its entirety.
Borrowed ideas and international buy-in
Several points in the US plan appear drawn from earlier initiatives. Point nine, which outlines a transitional governing body, echoes ideas advanced by former UK prime minister Tony Blair and former White House adviser Jared Kushner, both of whom have been advising US envoy Steve Witkoff on the Gaza file.
Other provisions — such as linking aid to hostage releases and envisioning an international security presence — mirror concepts circulated by European diplomats earlier this year.
Yet what distinguishes the US proposal is its combination of military, political, and humanitarian tracks into a single framework, while explicitly connecting Gaza’s reconstruction to Palestinian statehood.
Regional and global reactions
Arab states, weary of repeated Gaza wars, are likely to welcome elements of the plan, particularly the emphasis on humanitarian relief and eventual Palestinian self-determination. However, Israel’s categorical rejection of a Palestinian state, coupled with Hamas’s likely resistance to disarmament, sets up a formidable diplomatic challenge.
European capitals, which have increasingly recognized Palestinian statehood, may view the US proposal as belated but necessary. “It provides at least the outline of a horizon,” said one European diplomat, who noted that the absence of a political solution has been a key driver of cycles of violence.
A fragile pathway forward
The US plan is light on details in several areas, including the sequencing of prisoner releases, the mechanics of de-radicalization, and the timeline for Palestinian Authority reforms. Even if broadly accepted, it will require painstaking negotiations to implement.
But for Trump, the plan offers a chance to seize the diplomatic initiative. After months of devastation in Gaza, Washington appears determined to set terms that address not only immediate security needs but also the long-elusive question of Palestinian statehood.
Whether the proposal succeeds or fails, it underscores how the Gaza war has forced the US to confront issues it once avoided — displacement, governance, and the two-state solution.
For Palestinians, it offers a glimmer of recognition. For Israelis, it revives existential fears. For the international community, it is a test of whether bold diplomacy can overcome entrenched mistrust and unyielding political red lines.
Primary keyphrase: Gaza war plan
Secondary keyphrases included smoothly: Palestinian statehood, Israel Gaza conflict, Netanyahu UN speech, humanitarian aid to Gaza, Hamas disarmament.
Additional keyphrases worked in: Gaza City attack, international stabilization force, hostage release deal, two-state solution.
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