Trump says Israel agrees to end Gaza conflict with "20-point plan"; shekel rises nearly 2% intraday.
On Monday the 29th, Eastern US time, after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House, US President Trump announced that Israel had agreed to the US-proposed “20-point plan” to end the Gaza conflict. Following the announcement, the Israeli Shekel’s exchange rate hit a daily high, and the USD/ILS rate dropped below 3.2890 at one point, falling over 1.9% during the day.
According to CCTV News, the plan demands the immediate end to the conflict, the return of all hostages within 72 hours, the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners by Israel, and a commitment not to occupy or annex Gaza.
Trump stated the plan has received support from leaders of Middle Eastern and Muslim countries and could lay the foundation for broader regional peace. He warned that if Hamas rejects the agreement, the United States will fully support Israel in destroying the organization.
Hamas has not yet formally stated whether it accepts the proposal. According to CCTV News, senior Hamas officials indicated they have not received the plan and need to review relevant proposals. Since the plan stipulates Hamas should have no role in Gaza’s future governance, analysts question whether true peace in Gaza can be achieved.
During the talks, Netanyahu also apologized to Qatar for Israel's earlier airstrikes against the Hamas leadership in Doha. Previously, Qatar made an Israeli apology a prerequisite for resuming mediation in the Gaza conflict.
Core Content of the "20-Point Plan": Immediate Ceasefire and Hostage Release
According to CCTV News citing White House details, if both sides agree, "the war will immediately end." Israeli troops will withdraw to agreed borders in preparation for the hostages’ release, and all military activities, including air and artillery bombardments, will be suspended.
The agreement stipulates that within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement, all hostages, alive or dead, will be returned. In exchange, Israel will release 250 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment and 1,700 Gazans detained since the start of the conflict on October 7, 2023. For each Israeli hostage’s body returned, Israel will return 15 Gaza bodies.
The agreement requires that Gaza be temporarily governed by a “technical, non-political Palestinian committee” supervised by a “Peace Committee” led by Trump. The plan clearly demands that Hamas and other groups play no direct or indirect role in Gaza’s governance and that all military infrastructure, including tunnels and weapons production facilities, be destroyed.
Statements from Trump and Netanyahu
Netanyahu expressed support for Trump’s plan at a press conference, calling it “achieving our war objectives.” He emphasized that “Israel will retain security responsibility for the foreseeable future, including the surrounding security.”
Trump positioned the plan as part of broader Middle East peace, emphasizing efforts to persuade more Arab Gulf nations to normalize relations with Israel. He said Arab and Muslim partners are "fully ready to strengthen cooperation," describing this as part of "eternal peace in the Middle East.”
Trump also revealed he shared the plan with Muslim leaders during last week’s UN General Assembly in New York. He warned that if Hamas rejects the agreement, Netanyahu will receive US "full support" to destroy the armed group.
Netanyahu Apologizes to Qatar, Qatar Confirms Commitment
According to CCTV News, on the 29th Netanyahu spoke by phone with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad, formally apologizing for Israel’s previous attack in Doha. The call was arranged by Trump.
A statement from Qatar's Foreign Ministry showed that in a tripartite call, Netanyahu apologized for Israel's attack in Doha, violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, and the resulting death of a Qatari security personnel. He promised not to launch similar actions against Qatar in the future.
On September 9, Israel carried out an airstrike against Hamas leadership based in Doha, killing five Palestinians and one Qatari security personnel. Hamas said at the time of the attack, its negotiating delegation was discussing the latest US-proposed ceasefire plan. Five Palestinians and one Qatari security member were killed in the attack; Israel's attempt to assassinate senior Hamas figures "was not successful.”
According to Israeli media, Qatar made Israel’s apology a prerequisite for resuming mediation in the Gaza conflict. Trump stated Qatar’s prime minister had a “heart-to-heart” discussion with Netanyahu and reached an agreement to establish a formal trilateral working group.
Hamas Response: Plan Not Yet Received, Needs Review
According to CCTV News, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said Trump’s Gaza peace plan has not yet reached Hamas or any Palestinian political party. Mardawi stated the terms of the plan closely reflect Israel’s vision.
Hamas previously said it had not seen the plan prior to the Trump-Netanyahu meeting and needed to review relevant proposals. The organization launched attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, triggering the current conflict.
Trump said he believes Hamas will respond positively, but the plan requires Hamas to make significant concessions, including having no role in Gaza’s future governance. Analysts believe that without Hamas’s direct participation, the prospects for peace remain unclear.
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