Axios: Trump asked Netanyahu to proceed with his peace plan in Gaza

US President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call last Thursday that he wants him to take steps to implement his peace plan for Gaza, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The roadmap calls for the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza, in addition to transferring the sector’s administrative responsibilities to a new Palestinian technocratic government. However, the plan has been on hold for months due to the Israeli elections held on October 27. The Trump administration did not want the implementation of the plan to become a politically explosive issue during the Knesset election campaign, as Trump had endorsed Netanyahu shortly before the polls. Now that the elections are over, the US president wants to move forward with his Gaza plan, regardless of whether Netanyahu or his rivals, led by Gadi Eisenkot, form a new government.

A year ago, Tel Aviv and Hamas agreed to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan, which led to a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of the last 20 living hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks. For months, the Trump Peace Council, established as part of the Gaza agreement, has been working on an executive plan that includes the creation of a Palestinian technocratic government and an international stabilization force. Last July, the Peace Council reached an agreement with Hamas on a 15-point plan to disarm armed groups in Gaza and transfer civil and security control to the new Palestinian technocratic government. Since then, the Netanyahu government has largely refused to move forward with its implementation, primarily for domestic political reasons.

During a visit to Tel Aviv in August, Trump’s advisor and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, informed Netanyahu that Hamas had agreed for the first time to disarm itself. He urged him to take steps to test the seriousness of this commitment. Netanyahu has been, and remains, highly skeptical of Hamas’s ability to disarm, claiming that the movement is regrouping and rearming in Gaza. Over the past three months, the Trump Peace Council has worked with the Netanyahu government and the Israeli military to refine the plan’s details and address Tel Aviv’s concerns regarding disarmament in Gaza. A US official stated that the process would be gradual, and reconstruction would not begin until progress in Hamas’s disarmament was verified.

During the UN General Assembly in September, the Trump Peace Council unveiled an initial six-month, $2.45 billion Gaza recovery plan. The proposal, comprising 66 projects, offers one of the most comprehensive roadmaps to date of what the initial months of recovery and governance in Gaza post-war might look like. However, for the plan to move forward, the Peace Council needs the cooperation of Tel Aviv and Hamas. A source familiar with the details said that the Trump administration, the Peace Council, and Tel Aviv agree that the plan remains the best way forward and that there is no reliable alternative.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with Kushner and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, participated in the call between Trump and Netanyahu. A source familiar with the details described the call, initiated by Netanyahu, as constructive. The war in Iran was also discussed. The day after the call, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a member of the Peace Council, visited Tel Aviv and met with Netanyahu and his rival Gadi Eisenkot, who has been tasked with attempting to form a new government to replace Netanyahu’s. A source familiar with the visit said that Blair urged Netanyahu and other political leaders in the entity to give the plan a chance.

A U.S. official said: “Implementation will be difficult, but we believe it is a good plan for Israel. However, we cannot proceed while we are constrained.” He added: “We want to move forward cooperatively, and we need full cooperation and partnership from the Israeli government.”