Netanyahu: OK to Trump's plan to stop the war. Hamas: 'Too close to Israeli vision'

Joint statement by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar and other Arab and Islamic countries: we welcome Trump's initiative.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed that Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani received a phone call from the US and Israeli leaders, during which Benjamin Netanyahu apologised for the raid earlier this month in the capital Doha, which had hit a Hamas delegation. Netanyahu apologised for the death of a Qatari citizen during the attack and for the violation of Qatari sovereignty, assuring that similar attacks would not be launched in the future. Sheikh Mohammed 'welcomed the assurances given' and declared Qatar's readiness to resume mediation efforts to end the violence in the Gaza Strip, the ministry reported.

"President Trump has put forward a bold and intelligent plan that, if accepted, can end the war, bring immediate relief to Gaza, offer the possibility of a brighter and better future for its people, while ensuring the absolute and lasting security of Israel and the release of all hostages." This was stated by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair after Donald Trump called him "a decent man" and singled him out as the only quoted member of the new 'Board of Peace'. "It gives us the best opportunity to end two years of war, misery and suffering and I thank President Trump for his leadership, determination and commitment," Blair added. "In particular, his willingness to chair the Board of Peace to oversee the new Gaza is a huge signal of support and confidence in Gaza's future, in the possibility of Israelis and Palestinians finding a path to peace, and in the potential for a broader regional and global alliance to counter the forces of extremism and promote peace and prosperity among nations.

A diplomatic source told the Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera that Qatar and Egypt conveyed Trump's plan for the Gaza Strip to the Hamas negotiating delegation. The delegation promised the mediators to 'study the proposal responsibly'.

A note from Palazzo Chigi thus comments on the outcome of the meeting between Netanyahu and Trump. "For some time," the note reads, "the Italian government has been committed to supporting all efforts to end the war in Gaza and obtain the release of the hostages. An end to hostilities is also essential in order to address the terrible humanitarian crisis affecting the civilian population of the Strip, which is an absolutely unjustifiable and unacceptable tragedy. The proposal presented today by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, may represent a turning point in this process, allowing for a permanent cessation of hostilities, the immediate release of all hostages, and full and safe humanitarian access for the civilian population. The Plan, which Italy welcomes, presents an ambitious project for the stabilisation, reconstruction and development of the Gaza Strip, with the full involvement of regional partners. In this framework, Italy is ready to play its part, in close coordination with the United States, European and regional partners, and thanks President Trump for his mediation work and his efforts to bring peace to the Middle East. Italy therefore urges all parties to seize this opportunity and accept the Plan. Hamas, in particular, which started this war with the barbaric terrorist attack on 7 October 2023, now has the chance to end it by releasing the hostages, agreeing to play no role in Gaza's future, and disarming completely. Italy will support Washington's efforts to resume a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon towards a peaceful and prosperous coexistence. A just and lasting peace is possible in the Middle East, with a State of Israel and a Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security, and with the full normalisation of Israel with Arab and Islamic nations'.

Hamas said it had not yet received the peace plan for Gaza presented by US President Donald Trump. Mahmoud Mardawi, a representative of the movement, explained to Al Jazeera that the group was not informed of the initiative before its official announcement. Mardawi added that the provisions contained in the proposal 'are close to the Israeli vision to end the war'. According to Mardawi, 'what happened is an attempt to stifle the international push and recognition of the Palestinian state. We will not accept any proposal that does not include self-determination for the Palestinian people'.

'Gaza will have a peaceful civilian administration run neither by Hamas nor the Palestinian National Authority'. This was stated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at a press conference at the end of his meeting with Donald Trump. Addressing the US president, he added: 'I appreciate your firm stance that the NPA will have no role in Gaza without a radical and genuine transformation'.

"Tony Blair is an unacceptable figure for our people. We have accepted the formation of a committee that does not represent any Palestinian faction to manage the affairs of Gaza after the war, and we will not accept the imposition of foreign tutelage on our people." Hamas senior official Taher al-Nunu said this in a statement to Reuter, published on his website. "Our people are perfectly capable of managing their own affairs on their own," he added.

Netanyahu, Israel will maintain security in Gaza after war ++

(ANSA) - WASHINGTON, Sep 29 - Israel will retain responsibility for security in Gaza after the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a joint press conference at the White House with Donald Trump. (ANSA).

"If Hamas rejects the plan, or if it presumably accepts it and then does practically anything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job on its own." This was stated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference with Donald Trump at the White House.

'It is time for Hamas to accept the terms of the plan we presented today'. Donald Trump said this repeatedly, pointing out that after months of heavy losses there could be a new readiness. "This is a different Hamas than the one we were dealing with before, because over 20,000 people have been killed. Their leadership has been killed three times, so we're really dealing with different people than we've been dealing with for the last four, five years,' the US president stressed.

Here is the full translation of the plan proposed by US President Donald Trump to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

President Donald J. Trump's comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict.

"I accept your plan to end the war in Gaza," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a joint press conference at the White House with Donald Trump, listing some of the main conditions.

"Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional administration of a technocratic and apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for the day-to-day management of public services and municipalities for the people of Gaza. This committee will be composed of qualified Palestinians and international experts, under the supervision and control of a new international transitional body, the 'Board of Peace', which will be chaired and led by President Donald J. Trump, along with other members and heads of state to be announced, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair'. This is what Donald Trump's peace plan envisages.

"If accepted by Hamas, our proposal includes the immediate release of the hostages, no later than 72 hours," Donald Trump said at a White House press conference with Benjamin Netanyahu.

Donald Trump thanked in a press conference at the White House Benjamin Netanyahu for 'accepting the US peace plan' for Gaza.

"Those who send monsters to burn children, rape women and kidnap old women must know that there is no place in the world where they are safe. It is time to tell the world the truth: Qatar is a state that supports terrorism, finances it and feeds it. No amount of money will wash terrorism out of their hands'. This was written on X by the Israeli ultra-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir after Benyamin Netanyahu apologised to Qatar for the attack on Hamas leaders in Doha. Ben Gvir called the attack 'important, just and supremely moral'.

In trilateral talks between Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu and the Qatari premier, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, 'the leaders agreed to President (Trump,ed)'s proposal to establish a trilateral mechanism to improve coordination, optimise communication, resolve mutual disputes and strengthen collective efforts to prevent threats'. This was reported by the White House. The leaders also 'underlined their shared commitment to work together constructively and eliminate misperceptions, building on the long-standing ties they both have with the United States'.

Channel 12 news reports that US President Donald Trump's team has made "radical changes" to his peace proposal for Gaza to make it more "realistic" to be accepted by Israel, after a meeting with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. This was stated by a senior official close to the premier, according to the Israeli broadcaster.

Hamas rejects the proposal to entrust a body headed by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair with the administration of the Gaza Strip. "Tony Blair is an unacceptable figure for our people. We have agreed to form a committee that does not represent any of the Palestinian factions to manage the affairs of Gaza after the war, and we will not accept the imposition of foreign tutelage on our people," Taher al-Nono, media advisor to the Hamas political leader, told Reuters, according to Haaretz reports. Al-Nono also stressed that the weapons of the Palestinian resistance "are linked to the existence of the occupation and the defence of our people". "If the occupation ends and a Palestinian state is established, then these weapons will become part of the state," he added. Hamas, he concluded, is ready to accept "a truce that can last for years", but will evaluate the plans under discussion "according to the interests of our people".

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed US President Donald Trump's plan to end the Israeli invasion of Gaza, calling it a key step towards peace and stability in the Middle East. In a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office and published in X, Sharif said he 'welcomes President Trump's plan to ensure an end to the war in Gaza'. He added that 'a lasting peace between the Palestinian people and Israel would be essential to bring political stability and economic growth to the region'. Sharif praised Trump's "leadership" and commended the role of US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, while stressing that "the implementation of the two-state proposal is essential to ensure lasting peace in the region".

Some 800,000 Palestinians are reported to have left Gaza City to date due to the ground offensive by Israeli forces. This is according to Israeli military sources, as reported by the Dpa news agency. In recent days, Israel estimated that around 700,000 people have left. Before the start of the latest offensive, around one million residents and displaced persons lived in the city. There are as yet no Palestinian figures on the number of people who have fled Gaza City. Testimonies confirm that people continue to leave the area and move towards the south of the Gaza Strip, although they speak of declining numbers.

US President Donald Trump's team - after meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer - has introduced 'sensible changes' in the peace proposal for Gaza, in order to make it more 'realistic' for Israel. This was reported to Channel 12 by a senior official close to the premier. According to the same source, however, serious obstacles remain: 'We know that Hamas will not agree to disarm. They are not ready to release the hostages in one step, nor to release them all without an absolute guarantee that the war is over. And even then, it remains doubtful that they will keep their word'.

Israelis and relatives of hostages held in Gaza protested this evening in front of the US embassy in Tel Aviv, calling on US President Donald Trump to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept his plan to end the war in Gaza.

"Now, now!" the crowd shouted, according to an Agence France-Presse correspondent, during the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu at the White House. "Do not allow any attempt to sabotage the agreement!" one protester shouted.

Benjamin Netanyahu telephoned Qatari premier Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, apologising for the 9 September raid in Doha that targeted the Hamas leadership. This was reported by Axios journalist Barak Ravid, citing a source privy to the conversation - which took place while a meeting between Netanyahu and Donald Trump was underway at the White House - during which the Israeli premier also expressed 'regret for the killing of a Qatari security guard' in the attack. Netanyahu's official apology was a condition for Doha to resume mediation between Israel and Hamas, as revealed by Ravid himself.

Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told the Qatari broadcaster Al-Araby that "so far there have been no direct or indirect discussions about the plan promoted by Donald Trump, which Hamas only knows about thanks to leaked rumours in the media". According to the spokesman, "Hamas is willing to release the hostages as part of a comprehensive agreement leading to the end of the war and Israel's withdrawal from the Strip." Ynet reports.

Officials from Qatar, long engaged in the difficult mediation to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip, have reportedly assured Donald Trump, along with other Arab countries, that they "are able to convince Hamas to accept an agreement that includes demilitarisation". This was told to the Jerusalem Post by a source with knowledge of the details, while CNN confirms that Trump spoke with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, prior to the ongoing face-to-face meeting at the White House between the tycoon and the Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu. And, adds the American network citing two sources, a Qatari adviser was at the White House before Trump and Netanyahu met.

"I am very confident of reaching the agreement in Gaza." Donald Trump said this while welcoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House.

Sources well-informed about the dynamics of the negotiations between the US and Israel have revealed that what has happened in the last few hours resembles "sabotage" of the US plan, "emptying it of its content through changes made by Israeli negotiators". This is reported by the online site of the daily Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, according to which the sources claim that the changes have made the agreement "full of pitfalls, difficult to interpret and even more so to agree on, not to mention the implementation of all 21 points, present in the original version proposed by Trump". The daily newspaper close to the Doha authority, suggests that in light of these developments, "one can understand the optimism that has permeated the Israeli media, such as the newspapers Yedioth Ahronot and Times of Israel, as well as several American sites such as Axios, regarding the prospects of an agreement between Trump and Netanyahu on the Gaza plan". According to the Arab daily's sources, "Israeli optimism stems from the fact that the negotiations have made the plan's formula deliberately vague in terms of implementation mechanisms." The sources stress that 'the only clear aspect of these mechanisms is the release of the Israeli hostages and the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip'.

Israeli attacks have left at least 50 people dead and 184 injured in the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours. This was announced today by the Ministry of Health in the Hamas-administered Palestinian enclave via Telegram. These figures bring to 66,055 the number of Palestinians killed and 168,346 the number of injured caused by the Israeli army since the attack on 7 October 2023.

Italy and Bahrain 'pledged to continue to work together to bring peace and stability to the Middle East. They called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and the immediate release of all hostages, and condemned any unilateral or violent action in the West Bank that undermines the two-state solution'. This was stated in a joint statement during the meeting between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, at Palazzo Chigi.

"Senior Israeli officials continued to call for the mass displacement of Palestinians out of Gaza, the expansion of Israeli military operations towards total control of Gaza, and the restoration of settlements in the Strip. Some also called for the annexation and advancement of settlements in the occupied West Bank, which would 'bury' the idea of a Palestinian state, and called for a halt to all humanitarian aid and relief services in Gaza until all hostages are released'. UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Ramiz Alakbarov, told the Security Council. "After 23 months of fighting, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has passed the breaking point," he added, "Increased IDF mass evacuation orders and the expansion of Israeli militarised zones have pushed people to take refuge in less than 14 per cent of the Strip.

US President Donald Trump will speak on the phone with the Emir of Qatar before his meeting with Benyamin Netanyahu today at the White House. Axios reports this, adding that the phone call comes as Arab officials say the US has amended the text of the plan to end the war in Gaza, based on Netanyahu's demands. "Everyone, and I do mean everyone, is exasperated with Bibi," a US administration official familiar with the peace talks told journalist Barak Ravid, according to reports on X.

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and his delegation have just taken off for Washington where he will meet President Trump at 11 a.m. local time at the White House. This was announced by the PM's office from Jerusalem. At the end of the meeting, Trump and Netanyahu will make statements to the press at 1.10pm local time (7.10pm in Italy).

Turkey helped evacuate activists on board the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla after one of the boats broke down and began taking on water, according to organisers and the Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency.

According to Anadolu, the boat was in international waters between Crete, Cyprus and Egypt when it issued a distress call early this morning.

"We are very close to an agreement, and President Trump expects both sides to accept." This was reiterated by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, interviewed by Fox News just hours before Donald Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Trump will discuss the issue with Qatar," she added.

At least 33 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since dawn, sources in hospitals in the Strip tell Al Jazeera. At least 24 of the victims were killed in Gaza City, where the Israeli army says it is stepping up its offensive. (ANSA).

Peace for Gaza may be close. Today the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu: on the table the US 21-point plan to end hostilities. Bibi is at a crossroads, caught between American pressure to approve the document on which Trump claims 'everyone in the Middle East agrees', and the opposing thrust of his extremist allies in government, the hawks pushing for the annexation of Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

Basically the opposite of what the Trump plan proposes, which envisages first of all the release of the hostages in 48 hours and then the gradual withdrawal of the IDF and the disarming of Hamas. The Israeli PM has already met with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. 'The US and Israel are very close to reaching an agreement,' said a senior White House official.