Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan 'a win for everybody' - analyst

Dr. Sina Azodi, an assistant professor of Middle East Politics at George Washington University, on Monday (September 29) described the 20-point peace plan as a 'win for everybody'.

"The conflict will end for the Palestinians. The Israelis can also retrieve their hostages and those who died in captivity. And eventually, I think if everything goes well, Palestinians will be able to govern their own, " Dr. Azodi said. "I think overall, this is a positive development, regardless of one might think of President Trump's approach towards the conflict."

He added that Hamas had 'no other choice' but to agree to the plan or they would be blamed for the continued conflict and the U.S. and Israel would have 'strong justification' for continuing the war.

The White House released a 20-point document that called for an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas disarmament and a transitional government led by an international body.

Speaking at a joint White House press conference, Trump said they were "beyond very close" to an elusive peace deal for the Palestinian enclave, but warned the Islamist group Hamas that Israel would have full U.S. support to take whatever action it deemed necessary if the fighters reject what he has offered.

It was clear, however, that Hamas remained the key to whether Trump's peace proposals get off the ground. The group's absence from negotiations and its previous repeated refusals to disarm raised doubts about the plan's viability.

Hamas, which triggered the war with its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, still holds 48 hostages, 20 of them still alive, Israel says.