A US proposal for ending the war in the Gaza Strip encourages Palestinians to remain in the enclave and provides for the creation of a pathway to a future Palestinian state, according to a copy of the plan obtained by The Times of Israel.
The 21-point document shared by the US with a handful of Arab and Muslim countries earlier this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly also contains clauses that have been staples in various proposals crafted by different stakeholders in recent months - from the release of all hostages to Hamas’s removal from power, the newspaper said.
But the decision to explicitly encourage Palestinians to remain in Gaza capped off a major evolution for the US administration on the issue, given that President Donald Trump in February shocked much of the world with talk of the US taking over Gaza and permanently relocating its entire population of roughly two million people.
The proposal’s envisioning of a potential pathway to a future Palestinian state after Gaza’s redevelopment has advanced and the Palestinian Authority’s reform has been completed also appears to be a major departure from the Trump administration’s policy to date, given that it has avoided expressing backing for a two-state solution, the report said.
The plan obtained by The Times of Israel - and authenticated by two sources familiar with the matter - even sees the US establishing a dialogue with Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a “political horizon” for “peaceful coexistence.”
The proposal crafted largely by US special envoy Steve Witkoff also includes clauses that Israel has long demanded.
Those include a commitment for Hamas to disarm, the demilitarization of Gaza and the establishment of a process to de-radicalize the population.
What are the 21 points?
The following are the contents of the plan that have been paraphrased at the request of the sources who provided it.
1. Gaza will be a de-radicalized, terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of its people.
3. If both sides agree to the proposal, the war will immediately end, with Israeli forces halting all operations and gradually withdrawing from the Strip.
4. Within 48 hours of Israel publicly accepting the deal, all living and deceased hostages will be returned.
5. Once the hostages are returned, Israel will free several hundred Palestinian security prisoners serving life sentences and over 1,000 Gazans arrested since the start of the war, along with the bodies of several hundred Palestinians.
6. Once the hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence will be granted amnesty, while members who wish to leave the Strip will be granted safe passage to receiving countries.
7. Once this agreement is reached, aid will surge into the Strip at rates no lower than the benchmarks set in the January 2025 hostage deal, which included 600 trucks of aid per day, along with the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure and the entry of equipment for removing rubble.
8. Aid will be distributed — without interference from either side — by the United Nations and the Red Crescent, along with other international organizations not associated with either Israel or Hamas.
9. Gaza will be governed by a temporary, transitional government of Palestinian technocrats who will be responsible for providing day-to-day services for the people of the Strip. The committee will be supervised by a new international body established by the US in consultation with Arab and European partners. It will establish a framework for funding the redevelopment of Gaza until the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program.
10. An economic plan will be created to rebuild Gaza through the convening of experts with experience in constructing modern Middle East cities and through the consideration of existing plans aimed at attracting investments and creating jobs.
11. An economic zone will be established, with reduced tariffs and access rates to be negotiated by participating countries.
12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, but those who choose to leave will be allowed to return. Moreover, Gazans will be encouraged to remain in the Strip and offered an opportunity to build a better future there.
13. Hamas will have no role in Gaza’s governance whatsoever. There will be a commitment to destroy and stop building any offensive military infrastructure, including tunnels. Gaza’s new leaders will commit to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.
14. A security guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas and other Gaza factions comply with their obligations and that Gaza ceases to pose a threat to Israel or its own people.
15. The US will work with Arab and other international partners to develop a temporary international stabilization force that will immediately deploy in Gaza to oversee security in the Strip. The force will develop and train a Palestinian police force, which will serve as a long-term internal security body.
16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza, and the Israeli army will gradually hand over territory it currently occupies, as the replacement security forces establish control and stability in the Strip.
17. If Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above points will proceed in terror-free areas, which the Israeli army will gradually hand over to the international stabilization force.
18. Israel agrees not to carry out future strikes in Qatar. The US and the international community acknowledge Doha’s important mediating role in the Gaza conflict.
19. A process will be established to de-radicalize the population. This will include an interfaith dialogue aimed at changing mindsets and narratives in Israel and Gaza.
20. When Gaza’s redevelopment has been advanced and the PA reform program has been implemented, the conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian statehood, which is recognized as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.
The clause doesn’t provide details regarding the Palestinian reform program and is not definitive regarding when the pathway to statehood can be established.
21. The US will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful coexistence.
