WASHINGTON, 30 Sept. - (ANA) - US President Donald Trump will run Gaza with the assistance of Sir Tony Blair as part of the US president’s 20-point plan for “eternal peace in the Middle East”.

 

Mr Trump said on Monday that he would oversee a transitional government in the Strip as the head of a new body called the Board of Peace, which Sir Tony would also sit on.

 

He said the “leaders of the Arab world” had asked him to be chairman of the body.

 

“It’d be headed by a gentleman known as President Donald J Trump of the United States. That’s what I want, this is some extra work to do, but it’s so important that I’m willing to do it.”

 

Outlining the plan, which would include the IDF withdrawing from Gaza as the remaining hostages are released by Hamas, Mr Trump said: “Today is a historic day for peace. Let’s call it eternal peace in the Middle East.”

 

Shortly after a press conference alongside Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, in the White House ended abruptly without questions, Hamas said it had not been sent a copy of the plan.

 

Documents released by the White House detailed Mr Trump’s and Sir Tony’s roles. “Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza,” the plan reads.

 

“This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the Board of Peace, which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J Trump, with other members and heads of state to be announced, including former prime minister Tony Blair.”

 

Under the proposals, the US would also develop a temporary international stabilisation force (ISF) alongside Arab nations and other “international partners” to be immediately deployed in Gaza.

 

The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt. The group will work with Israel to help secure border areas.

 

A map released by the White House showed the IDF’s staggered withdrawal from Gaza, which would coincide with hostages being released.

 

A yellow line represents an initial “modest” withdrawal of IDF troops, which would take place within 72 hours of an agreement being reached and once all the hostages are released.

 

The red line shows where the ISF will be deployed once Israeli forces withdraw further.

 

Meanwhile, Hamas officials would be offered amnesty and possible immunity in Qatar, and civilians in Gaza would not be forced to leave the Strip, as Mr Trump had previously suggested.

 

However, the peace plan failed to mention the West Bank and omitted key details about the future security of Gaza.

 

It was also unclear if Hamas would accept its terms.

 

Mr Trump said if Hamas refused to accept the deal, Israel would have the “full backing” of the United States to “finish the job”.

 

“Bibi, you’d have our full backing to do what you would have to do,” Mr Trump said, referring to Mr Netanyahu by his nickname.

 

Mr Netanyahu pledged to “finish the job” should Hamas not accept the plan.

 

He said: “If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr President, or if they supposedly accept it and then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself.

 

“This could be done the easy way, or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done.”

 

If the agreement is accepted by Hamas, the terror group would have no part in running Gaza. All of its military infrastructure, including the tunnel system used to hold hostages, would be dismantled.

 

Members of the terror group who pledge to live peacefully would be granted amnesty once the hostages were returned and those who wished to leave Gaza would be allowed to do so.

 

 

 

 

Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the plan on Monday night and urged Hamas to “end the misery” by agreeing to its terms.

 

He said: “The new US initiative to deliver an end to the war in Gaza is profoundly welcome and I am grateful for President Trump’s leadership.

 

“We strongly support his efforts to end the fighting, release the hostages and ensure the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza. This is our top priority and should happen immediately.

 

“We call on all sides to come together and to work with the US administration to finalise this agreement and bring it into reality. Hamas should now agree to the plan and end the misery, by laying down their arms and releasing all remaining hostages.

 

“Together with our partners, we will continue work to build consensus to put into place a permanent ceasefire. We are all committed to a collective effort to end the war in Gaza and deliver a sustainable peace, where Palestinians and Israelis can live side by side in safety and security.”

 

 

 

 

An earlier version of the US plan leaked over the weekend stipulated that Israel would commit not to strike Qatar again. However, this was omitted from the final version.

 

Just before the press conference on Monday, Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu held a phone call with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the prime minister of Qatar, in which Mr Netanyahu apologised for ordering a recent strike in Doha.

 

Not only did Mr Netanyahu say sorry for killing the Qatari officer, but he acknowledged that Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and he undertook not to do so again.

 

“I also want to assure you that Israel has no plan to violate your sovereignty again in the future, and I have made that commitment to the president,” Mr Netanyahu told his counterpart.

 

“I want to assure you that Israel was targeting Hamas, not Qataris.”

 

 

 

 

Sir Tony, who has been instrumental in trying to bring about peace in Gaza, has been working on a post-war plan, known as the “day after”, since the conflict broke out in October 2023.

 

His plan was given the green light by Mr Trump earlier this month and he was given two weeks to garner support for his proposal.

 

Last night, Sir Tony described Mr Trump’s plan as “bold and intelligent”, adding that it could “end the war” while also “ensuring Israel’s absolute and enduring security and the release of all hostages”.

 

He added: “It offers us the best chance of ending two years of war, misery and suffering and I thank President Trump for his leadership, determination and commitment.

 

“In particular, his willingness to chair the Board of Peace to oversee the new Gaza is a huge signal of support and confidence in the future of Gaza, of the possibility of Israelis and Palestinians finding a path to peace and of the potential for a broader regional and global alliance to counter the forces of extremism and promote peace and prosperity between nations.”

 

Jared Kushner, Mr Trump’s son-in-law, has also been instrumental in the development of a post-war plan and attended the announcement on Monday.

 

Mr Trump had previously suggested turning Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, a glitzy paradise complete with casinos and beachfront resorts.

 

He has also spoken about moving thousands of Palestinians out of the war-torn territory, an idea now seemingly abandoned.

 

Mr Trump’s role as head of the Board of Peace will likely be viewed as a security guarantee, with the US locked in to the peace process and future stability of the Strip.

 

It is not yet clear if hardliners in Mr Netanyahu’s cabinet will accept the deal as it offers Hamas an exit plan.

 

 

 

 

After each leader spoke at length at the White House, Mr Trump suggested that it was “not really appropriate to take questions”, citing his already full agenda for the rest of the day.

 

Reporters had packed the room and waited for much of the afternoon for the opportunity to grill the pair on the proposals.

 

Mr Trump then hinted that he might change his mind, and even asked Mr Netanyahu if he would like to take a question from a “friendly” Israeli reporter.

 

But the prime minister responded: “I would go by your instinct. We’ll have enough time for questions. Let’s settle the issue first.”

 

The pair left the room, ignoring shouted questions from reporters.

 

On Monday evening, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the proposal was a “historic agreement that will allow our people to heal, end the war, and chart a new future for the Middle East.”

 

The grassroots group, which represents many of the hostages’ families, called on Mr Netanyahu to immediately halt the fighting in Gaza to prevent harm to their loved ones.

 

“There is no reason to risk their lives when Israel has adopted President Trump’s historic initiative,” it said.

 

On Monday, Hamas claimed that it lost contact with two Israeli hostages after IDF troops and tanks advanced deeper into Gaza City.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/30 September 2025  - - -