Details remain vague in 21-point Gaza plan for Trump-Netanyahu meeting

The 21-point plan proposed for Gaza will be discussed during the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House today. However, many critical details of the plan remain ambiguous.

According to the White House schedule, President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet for lunch today, followed by a bilateral meeting and a joint press conference. The program will begin with a welcome ceremony; the press conference is scheduled to take place at 8:15 PM. During his fourth visit to Washington since resuming office in January, Netanyahu aims to fortify his country’s most critical alliance in the face of growing international isolation.

The meeting is expected to address a 21-point framework aimed at ending the Gaza war, establishing a post-war governance mechanism, and securing the return of hostages. The 21-point plan, obtained by the Washington Post and confirmed by two government officials briefed by the administration, consists of interconnected topics related to security, administration, reconstruction, and prisoner exchange:

1. All Israeli military operations in Gaza cease immediately and “battle lines” are frozen.
2. Within 48 hours of Israel’s acceptance, all living prisoners are released and the remains of captives returned.
3. Israel will free 250 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained since 7 October 2023.
4. For every Israeli captive whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Palestinians from Gaza.
5. Immediately upon agreement, full humanitarian aid flows into Gaza; infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), hospitals, bakeries, and rubble removal will be rehabilitated.
6. Aid distribution will be handled by the UN and other neutral international bodies, without interference by Israel or Hamas.
7. A transitional governance structure of qualified Palestinians and international experts will manage day-to-day public services in Gaza.
8. That governance will be supervised by a new international body established by the U.S. with partners.
9. The Palestinian Authority will assume control only after completing internal reforms.
10. Hamas’s offensive weaponry will be destroyed; militants who commit to peaceful coexistence will be offered amnesty.
11. Safe passage will be provided for Hamas members who choose to exit Gaza.
12. Gaza will be redeveloped economically, with special zones and reduced tariffs.
13. No one will be forced to leave Gaza; those who leave may return.
14. Hamas will have no role in Gaza governance; all tunnels and offensive infrastructure will be destroyed.
15. Regional partners will provide security guarantees and cooperate in enforcing the plan.
16. A temporary international stabilization force will be deployed in Gaza, with training of a Palestinian security force.
17. Israel will progressively hand over territory to the stabilization force and withdraw, maintaining only a “perimeter presence.”
18. Israel agrees to refrain from future strikes on Qatar and acknowledges Qatar’s mediating role in prior talks.
19. A program of “de-radicalization” will be initiated, including interfaith dialogue and narrative change.
20. After redevelopment and PA reforms, conditions may permit a credible pathway to Palestinian ‘statehood.’
21. The US will open a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to define a “political horizon” for peaceful coexistence.

According to the report, most of the 21 points have not yet been presented to Hamas and are considered a “broad framework”; critical details, such as how governance, security, reconstruction, and rehabilitation will be implemented, have not been defined. The plan does not clarify the sequence of the numerous interconnected steps beyond the initial ceasefire and prisoner exchange. Fundamental questions remain unanswered, such as who will finance the reconstruction, who will enforce disarmament and how, how aid will be distributed in practice, and where displaced Palestinians will live while reconstruction is underway.

Behind-the-scenes contacts: Witkoff and Kushner’s initiatives

It is reported that US special representative Steve Witkoff held a meeting with Netanyahu at a hotel for about two hours on Sunday to persuade him of the plan. The President’s son-in-law and former senior advisor, Jared Kushner, was also present at the meeting. Sources close to the process state that despite Netanyahu’s reservations about Hamas’s disarmament and the role of the Palestinian Authority in post-war Gaza, a basis for progress on the plan is being sought. According to the Hebrew press, the meeting was “positive,” and there is talk that Netanyahu may support the plan at the White House.

Optimistic rhetoric but cautious notes

In addition to some reports in the Israeli press, a post on X by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, citing an unnamed senior US official, suggests that the US and Israel have reached a “very, very close” agreement on the plan; however, Hamas’s approval is required for the plan to proceed. Reuters noted that it could not independently verify these claims with its own sources.

In statements over the weekend, Trump pointed to the opportunity for a “historic agreement” in the Middle East, stating that the goal is not just a ceasefire in Gaza but a broader regional peace. He also expressed hope of securing Netanyahu’s consent for the plan during Monday’s meeting.

Controversial topics

However, significant disagreements exist in the background of the Washington negotiations. According to Israel Hayom, Qatar advocates for a full withdrawal in the early stages of the agreement, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE condition their contributions on the disarmament of Hamas. Israel, on the other hand, seeks a long-term presence in the Philadelphi Corridor and a security buffer zone. The role to be given to the Palestinian Authority in the transitional administration is subject to Israel’s limited support and the Gulf countries’ backing, contingent on “comprehensive reform.” The package also includes topics such as the rehabilitation of refugee camps in the West Bank, the termination of UNRWA, structural reform in the Palestinian Authority, and deradicalization in education.

The Qatar file: Seeking to limit influence and a compromise formula

Meanwhile, Israel wants to limit Qatar’s influence in the “day after” scenario due to deteriorating relations and Doha’s international campaigns. Washington, however, is hesitant about this stance. As of Sunday, negotiators were working on a compromise formula regarding Qatar’s share in reconstruction and administration. Furthermore, Israel is demanding that the Israeli army’s freedom of action to neutralize threats from Gaza, should Hamas rearm, be explicitly written into the text; mediators warn that this could cause Hamas to walk away from the table.