After being welcomed by Arab, Islamic and European leaders, experts say the onus rests on Hamas now to accept the peace plan
After being welcomed by Arab, Islamic and European leaders, experts say the onus rests on Hamas now to accept the peace plan
Middle Eastern and European leaders expressed cautious optimism towards Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, support that was tempered by scepticism from some in the territory who dismissed it as “unrealistic”.
The plan, unveiled by Trump and Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday calls 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.
The plan was welcomed in principle by leaders in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt, who said they were ready to cooperate with the US to ensure its implementation.
It was clear, however, that Hamas remained the key to whether Trump’s peace proposal gets off the ground. Experts and residents of Gaza said the absence of the group from negotiations and the plan’s demand that they renounce governance of the strip raised doubts about its viability.
“It’s clear that this plan is unrealistic,” Ibrahim Joudeh told the AFP news agency from southern Gaza, adding “it’s drafted with conditions that the US and Israel know Hamas will never accept. For us, that means the war and the suffering will continue.”
Abu Mazen Nassar was equally pessimistic, saying “this is all manipulation.
