Trump warns of ‘sad end’ if Hamas rejects US proposal
Shafaq News – Washington
US President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that Hamas has “three or four days” to respond to his Gaza peace initiative, cautioning that rejection would bring “a very sad end.”
Trump confirmed Israeli and Arab leaders had endorsed the plan, leaving Hamas as the only holdout. When asked about room for negotiation, he replied, “Not much.”
Unveiled Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the 20-point framework includes an immediate ceasefire, phased Israeli withdrawal, the release of all hostages, the freeing of more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners—mostly women and minors—and the return of 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli hostage confirmed dead.
The plan grants amnesty or safe passage abroad to Hamas members who renounce violence, calls for an international stabilization force, and transfers temporary governance of Gaza to a technocratic Palestinian committee overseen by a “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump and supported by international figures, including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Its provisions also emphasize reconstruction through humanitarian aid, infrastructure repair, and a US-backed investment package, envisioning a special economic zone, reintegration programs, and eventual transfer of control to a restructured Palestinian Authority, with Israeli disengagement proceeding in stages tied to verified disarmament and a pledge not to annex or reoccupy Gaza.
Netanyahu endorsed the plan as the most effective path to secure hostages’ release and dismantle Hamas, warning that “if Hamas rejects this plan, we will finish the mission ourselves.” He ruled out the recognition of a Palestinian state, insisting that neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority would govern Gaza under the deal.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich blasted the proposal as a strategic blunder but stopped short of rejecting it, accusing its supporters of exchanging battlefield gains for “political illusions.”
Palestinian factions dismissed the plan outright, with Islamic Jihad leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah calling it “a prescription to ignite the region,” while Hamas-run Government Media Office Director-General Ismail al-Thawabta branded it an attempt to impose foreign control. He reiterated that the only acceptable path is halting Israeli attacks, lifting the blockade, and recognizing full Palestinian sovereignty.
In contrast, foreign ministers from Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt welcomed the US focus on humanitarian aid and renewed support for a two-state solution based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.
These developments unfolded as Israeli airstrikes continued across Gaza, with the Health Ministry reporting 42 Palestinians killed and 190 wounded in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll since October 7, 2023, to 66,097 with 168,536 injured.
