Netanyahu endorses Trump’s 20-Point Gaza plan as critical step

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delivered a resounding endorsement of U.S. President Donald Trump’s ambitious 20-point peace plan for Gaza, framing it as a “critical step” toward not only ending the ongoing war but reshaping the broader Middle East.

Speaking alongside Trump in the East Room of the White House, Netanyahu declared his full support for the plan, which he said would decisively neutralize the threat posed by Hamas to Israeli security.

“I support your plan to end the war in Gaza,” Netanyahu stated, according to live coverage from the event.

He praised the proposal as a blueprint to prevent future attacks, emphasizing that Israel’s military campaign, now in its second year, has been waged by soldiers who “fight like lions” against what he termed “barbarism.”

The endorsement comes amid fragile ceasefire negotiations, with Netanyahu issuing an ultimatum for the release of all Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, within 72 hours.

“All parties are being given the chance to do this peacefully,” he warned, adding that rejection or non-compliance by Hamas would trigger a forceful response.

“This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done,” Netanyahu asserted, signaling potential for renewed Israeli ground operations if diplomatic efforts falter.

Trump’s 20-point plan, details of which remain partially classified, reportedly includes provisions for demilitarizing Gaza, international oversight of reconstruction, and incentives for Arab states to normalize ties with Israel.

Netanyahu hailed it as a catalyst for regional stability, invoking the potential revival of the Abraham Accords, Trump’s signature 2020 diplomatic achievement that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations.

“This peace plan can be a new beginning for Gaza and the entire Middle East region,” he said, suggesting expansions to additional Arab and Muslim countries.

In a pointed critique of Palestinian governance, Netanyahu called for a “radical and genuine overhaul” of the Palestinian Authority (PA) before it could assume any post-conflict role in Gaza.

“We didn’t fight this horrible fight for Hamas to stay in Gaza,” he remarked, underscoring Israel’s insistence on deradicalizing institutions perceived as sympathetic to militant groups.

The comments drew immediate backlash from PA officials in Ramallah, who labeled them “unconstructive” and a precondition for endless occupation, though Netanyahu positioned the overhaul as essential for sustainable peace.