Trump Seeks Breakthrough in Israel-Gaza Peace Talks

Published: 29 September ‘2025. the English Chronicle Desk

US President Donald Trump is set to press forward with a new peace initiative aimed at ending the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict during high-level discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. The announcement comes amid heightened international concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands more since the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023.

Trump has expressed optimism about the prospects of reaching a deal, telling journalists on Friday, “I think we have a deal,” signaling an apparent breakthrough in diplomatic efforts. However, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu tempered expectations, stating on Sunday that the plan “has not been finalised yet,” while Hamas, the Palestinian militant group controlling Gaza, said it has not formally received the proposal.

Leaked drafts of the peace plan, reported by both US and Israeli media, outline a series of ambitious measures. Central to the proposal is the immediate release of all hostages within 48 hours of the deal’s confirmation. In exchange, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences. Hamas members who commit to peace would be granted amnesty and safe passage out of Gaza, while all Hamas military infrastructure would be dismantled. The plan also envisions the gradual withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from Gaza, with the territory governed by an interim transitional administration.

The proposal represents a marked departure from previous US policy under Trump, which had advocated relocating Gaza’s 2.1 million residents and redeveloping the area as a US-administered “riviera.” Instead, the latest plan encourages Palestinians to remain in Gaza and recognizes their aspirations for a future sovereign state. It further allows for a future role for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Gaza, contingent on institutional reforms—historically a non-negotiable red line for Netanyahu, who recently reaffirmed at the UN General Assembly that he would not permit the establishment of a Palestinian state, labeling the PA “corrupt to its core.”

Even if Netanyahu can be persuaded, he faces significant domestic opposition. Hardline members of his coalition, including far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and ultranationalist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have insisted that no compromise involving a Palestinian state or the PA’s role will be tolerated. Smotrich declared that his party would not accept any plan acknowledging Palestinian sovereignty, while Ben-Gvir emphasized that Netanyahu lacked the mandate to end the conflict without a decisive military defeat of Hamas.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid, however, expressed support for the peace initiative, affirming that he has provided Netanyahu with a “safety net” for a hostage agreement and a path to ending the war. Polls indicate growing public pressure within Israel for a resolution, particularly from families of the 48 hostages still believed to be in Gaza, twenty of whom are thought to be alive.

Trump, reportedly frustrated with Israel’s recent airstrikes in Qatar targeting Hamas leadership, has also signaled that he will not permit Israel to annex the occupied West Bank, a possibility floated in response to increasing international recognition of Palestinian statehood by countries including the UK and France. During last week’s UN General Assembly, Trump engaged with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, describing the discussions as the “most important meeting” of the day, reflecting the administration’s intense diplomatic focus on the Middle East.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff expressed cautious optimism following the UN meetings, stating, “We’re hopeful and, I might say, even confident that in the coming days we’ll be able to announce some sort of breakthrough.” Trump reinforced this sentiment over the weekend via social media, proclaiming, “We have a real chance for GREATNESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. ALL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, FIRST TIME EVER. WE WILL GET IT DONE!!!”

The conflict itself erupted on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages being taken. Israel responded with an extensive military campaign, which, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, has claimed at least 65,549 lives to date. Humanitarian organizations and UN-backed bodies have reported widespread famine in Gaza City and concluded that actions by Israel amount to genocide—a characterization strongly rejected by the Israeli government

As Trump prepares to push the peace plan in Washington, the international community is watching closely. Success would not only mark a major diplomatic achievement for the United States but could also alleviate one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the region in recent memory. However, the deep divisions within the Israeli political landscape, coupled with Hamas’s historically uncompromising stance, suggest that any breakthrough will require unprecedented negotiation, compromise, and international support.

The coming days are likely to prove critical in determining whether a historic agreement is achievable, and whether the hostages held in Gaza will finally be freed. For the people of Gaza and Israel, the world waits anxiously for a resolution that could redefine the region’s future.