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Netanyahu bends to Trump on Gaza, but disarming Hamas remains a hurdle

Under American pressure and increasingly isolated internationally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed on Monday to President Donald Trump鈥檚 plan for ending the war in Gaza, despite its inclusion of concessions that could anger Mr. Netanyahu鈥檚 far-right base.

After the two leaders met at the White House, an ensuing news conference was suffused with flowery language and reciprocal praise. But a genuine breakthrough hinges on whether the plan is accepted by Hamas, the militant Islamic group that launched the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war.

鈥淪o there is a groom, but is there a bride?鈥� asked an Israeli commentator for Channel 14, a right-wing television news station, referring to Hamas.

Hamas negotiators reportedly said after the White House event that they had just received the plan from mediators Qatar and Egypt and promised to review it 鈥渞esponsibly.鈥�

Mr. Trump praised Mr. Netanyahu for accepting the 20-point plan, which would mean 鈥渢he immediate end of the war itself,鈥� saying it held the promise of heralding 鈥渆ternal peace.鈥�

He also added a threat: 鈥淎rab and Muslim countries have committed to demilitarize Gaza. If they fail to do so, Israel has our full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas.鈥�

Echoing Mr. Trump鈥檚 language, Mr. Netanyahu said, 鈥淚f 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. ... This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done.鈥�

Key to the proposal, which is similar to one former President Joe Biden made more than a year ago, is Hamas assenting both to be disarmed and removed from governing Gaza.

Under the deal, the remaining 48 Israeli hostages held in Gaza, only 20 of whom are still believed to be alive, would return home to Israel within 72 hours of the plan鈥檚 acceptance. Also released would be 250 Palestinian security prisoners, alongside 1,700 others captured by Israel in Gaza since the war began, including women and children 鈥� considered a significant concession by Israel.

The plan calls for an 鈥淚nternational Stabilization Force,鈥� consisting of Arab, American, and other international forces, which would oversee security in Gaza. But Israel would maintain a significant security perimeter around Gaza 鈥渇or the foreseeable future,鈥� Mr. Netanyahu said.

Governing the Gaza Strip, which has largely been flattened in almost two years of war that has cost more than 66,000 Palestinians their lives, would be a 鈥渢echnocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee with international experts.鈥� That body would be overseen by what Mr. Trump termed a 鈥淏oard of Peace,鈥� chaired by him and managed by leaders including Tony Blair, the former British prime minister.

Hamas and Arab states reaction

Mahmoud Mardawi, a Hamas official, told Al Jazeera late Monday he was concerned that statements made during the news conference 鈥渓ean toward the Israeli perspective鈥� and were 鈥渃lose to what Netanyahu insists on in order to continue the war.鈥�

Mr. Trump offered praise for Arab leaders but also emphasized their task ahead will essentially be reining in Hamas. Previously, the group has shown no signs of capitulation despite heavy losses, and it is currently fighting an intensive, guerrilla-style battle against Israeli troops.

Though President Trump named the rulers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, and Jordan, it remains unclear which states will play what role in pressuring Hamas to disarm.

Tellingly, none of the Arab states issued statements in the immediate aftermath of the White House news conference. State-influenced news networks in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE glossed over Arab and Gulf responsibility for disarming Hamas in their coverage late Monday.

Indeed, it remains unclear what, if any, leverage Arab states retain over the Palestinian militant faction, which has repeatedly frustrated Arab mediators by either rejecting previous ceasefire deals or adding clauses that facilitated Israel鈥檚 backing out of them.

President Trump鈥檚 plan bears some similarities to a French-Saudi plan announced a week earlier that called for a transitional administration without Hamas, a demilitarized Gaza and West Bank, and a path to an eventual Palestinian state.

The French-Saudi plan marked the first time Arab states publicly called on Hamas to disarm.

Arab diplomatic sources say it was received positively for ruling out the annexation of the West Bank and what they regard as the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, while setting a pathway that could lead to Palestinian statehood.

As Mr. Trump hinted on Monday, his personal ties with Arab and Muslim leaders might be a key to his plan鈥檚 success. The president鈥檚 Middle East aides, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, have found support among Arab states for the Trump plan.

White House pressure

Under Mr. Trump鈥檚 watchful gaze during the White House meeting, Mr. Netanyahu apologized to Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in a phone call for the killing this month of a Qatari citizen in an Israeli strike on Doha targeting a delegation of Hamas negotiators.

The Trump-Netanyahu meeting was held against a backdrop of mounting U.S. administration frustration 鈥� what some White House officials have described as 鈥渆xasperation鈥� 鈥� with Mr. Netanyahu over his resistance, until now, to agree to a ceasefire.

Israel鈥檚 decision to launch the attack in Doha was said to have been a step too far for Mr. Trump, according to some officials. The White House says it had not been consulted about it ahead of time.

Sentiment is said to be growing within the administration as well that Mr. Netanyahu, for largely domestic political reasons, is thwarting Mr. Trump鈥檚 efforts to end the Gaza war and place another jewel in his crown as a would-be peacemaker.

The president鈥檚 frustrations with Mr. Netanyahu have also mounted as new opposition to Israel is mounting within his MAGA base.

Special correspondent Taylor Luck and Staff writer Howard LaFranchi contributed to this report.