United States President Donald Trump has given Hamas “three or four days” to respond to his Gaza ceasefire plan, warning that failure to accept it could have grave consequences.
The proposal, already backed by Israel and some Arab states, lays out a framework for ending the two-year war in Gaza.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said Hamas must decide quickly.
“Hamas is either going to be doing it or not, and if it’s not, it’s going to be a very sad end,” the US president remarked. Asked whether there was space for negotiation, he replied: “Not much.”
Trump also thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met him in Washington on Monday, for agreeing to the plan.
Details of 20-point Gaza proposal
The White House document calls for:
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An immediate ceasefire in Gaza
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Exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinians in Israeli prisons
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Phased Israeli withdrawal from the enclave
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Hamas disarmament under international monitoring
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Deployment of a temporary international stabilization force
The plan rules out Hamas from playing any role in Gaza’s future governance. Instead, its members would be offered amnesty if they accept “peaceful coexistence” or safe passage abroad if they wish to leave.
Humanitarian crisis intensifies
The renewed push for peace comes as Gaza suffers one of its deadliest phases of the war. Local health officials report the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 66,000, with ongoing Israeli bombardments in central Gaza.
Al Jazeera reported multiple Israeli strikes on Tuesday, including a drone attack in Deir el-Balah that killed six people, among them a child and a journalist. Another strike near the Nuseirat refugee camp claimed four lives.
Hamas reviewing plan
Qatar confirmed Hamas’s negotiating team is studying the proposal.
“We explained to Hamas during our meeting yesterday that our primary goal is stopping the war,” said Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. “Hamas acted responsibly and promised to study the plan.”
Fatah, the Palestinian faction that dominates the West Bank, welcomed US efforts to end the war but criticized the proposal as a “document of surrender” imposed without Palestinian input. Senior Fatah official Abbas Zaki warned the plan undermines Palestinian sovereignty.
Global reactions
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed Washington’s efforts, urging all sides to commit to an agreement that would ease civilian suffering.
However, analysts noted that Trump’s framing made the proposal appear less like a negotiation and more like an ultimatum. “This is not an offer—it is an ultimatum to Hamas,” Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna observed.
Sultan Barakat, a professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, called the plan “problematic,” arguing that Hamas is being asked to give up all leverage at the start to parties it does not trust.
