• Former President Donald Trump says he's confident a Gaza peace deal is imminent, with negotiations in their "final stages."
  • A detailed 21-point peace plan has been presented to Arab and Muslim leaders, calling for permanent ceasefire, hostage release, and Israeli troop withdrawal.
  • Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are actively bridging gaps between Israeli and U.S. positions in New York meetings.

Breaking Diplomatic Momentum

Donald Trump has expressed strong confidence that a comprehensive peace agreement for Gaza could be reached soon, telling associates that negotiations have entered their final phase and could pave the way for broader Middle East stability. The announcement comes as U.S. envoys work intensively to resolve outstanding issues between Israeli and American positions.

According to people familiar with the matter, Trump's team has presented a substantial 21-point peace framework to key Arab and Muslim leaders during United Nations meetings. The proposal outlines a path toward permanent ceasefire, immediate release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza, and a phased withdrawal of Israeli military forces from the territory.

The Proposed Framework

The peace plan contains several controversial elements that could prove challenging to implement, including potential amnesty for Hamas officials who agree to leave Gaza entirely. The proposal also outlines postwar reconstruction initiatives and establishes international supervision mechanisms for humanitarian aid distribution throughout the coastal enclave.

"We're seeing movement that we haven't seen in nearly two years of conflict," said one diplomatic source who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations. "The pieces are coming together, though significant hurdles remain."

Envoy Steve Witkoff, working alongside Jared Kushner, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York this week in what sources describe as a crucial effort to bridge remaining gaps. The United States is coordinating closely with Qatar and Egypt, regional powers that maintain significant influence over Hamas and the broader diplomatic process.

Regional Implications

A key component of Trump's proposal includes explicit guarantees to pressure Netanyahu against annexing the occupied West Bank—a major concern for Arab states and the international community that has complicated previous peace efforts. The planned announcement is being coordinated with Qatar's Emir, underscoring Doha's continued role as primary mediator in the conflict.

Israeli officials, while engaged in substantive discussions, have reiterated that their government is not bound by recent widespread recognitions of Palestinian statehood by countries including Australia, Britain, Canada, and France. This position creates potential tension points as negotiations advance toward what Trump describes as "real peace in the Middle East."

The timing of this diplomatic push comes amid increasing urgency, with recent events including the bombing of a compound in Doha that housed senior Hamas officials adding pressure on all parties to reach an agreement. Over 66,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began with Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, according to Gaza health authorities, making the prospect of a ceasefire particularly consequential for civilian populations.

Multiple U.S. officials involved in the negotiations have voiced optimism about reaching a breakthrough in the coming days, though they caution that implementation of any agreement would require careful monitoring and international support. If finalized, the deal would represent the most significant peace effort since the war began and could fundamentally reshape the regional political landscape.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the number of points in the proposed peace plan. It is a 21-point plan, not 20.