Gaza peace deal beyond very close: Trump

 
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu meet on Monday at the White House to discuss a plan to end the war in Gaza.     -DW


US President Donald Trump has said that the peace deal over Gaza war is "beyond very close". He said he was working close with Netanyahu to get peace in the Middle East.  He was addressing a joint press conference on Monday after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. "This is potentially one of the greatest days ever in civilization," he added.

"Today is a historic day for peace", Trump said.

He says he and the Israeli PM just concluded a meeting - most importantly they spoke about ending the war in Gaza. Trump says they are formally releasing the 21 principle peace plan, "which people have really liked I must say".

There has been input to the plan from many nations, Trump says. Trump thanks the "leaders of the Arab and Muslim nations for their support" in developing the proposal along with many allies in Europe. Trump thanks Netanyahu for "agreeing to the plan".

He adds that he has had meetings with "so many countries" to discuss the proposal, including leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. He says they have been "very much involved".

Trump continues to mention world leaders from the region he has spoken with about bringing peace to the Middle East, including Egypt, Pakistan and Jordan.

He says if accepted by Hamas, this plan calls for the release of all hostages being held.

MUSLIM COUNTRIES HAVE COMMITTED TO DE-MILITARISE GAZA:

Trump says the bodies of hostages who have died will be returned immediately, if the peace plan is agreed to. He says it will also mean "the immediate end to the war itself".

Arab and Muslim countries have committed to "de-militarise Gaza" quickly, as part of the plan.

As part of the plan, Trump says Hamas tunnels and production facilities would be destroyed.

It would also involve training local police forces, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would withdraw from Gaza in phases.

The threat of Hamas will be "destroyed," he says and Netanyahu would have Trump's full backing to "do what he has to do".

Trump says he has not dealt with Hamas, but the Arab and Muslim countries "will be dealing with Hamas".

"They have to deal with them," he says.

"I think they probably have an understanding," Trump says.

He says that if they are unable to do so [deal with Hamas], Israel would have full US backing, he says, "to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas."

Hamas is the only party left to agree to the deal, Trump says.

WHITE HOUSE SHARES TRUMP'S PLAN TO END THE WAR IN GAZA:

The White House said on Monday that the US will establish a dialogue between Israel and Palestine and that within 72 hours of Israel accepting the agreement all Israeli captives will be released.

If both sides agree, the war will immediately end, according to the plan.

The White House said Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza and no one will be forced to leave the strip.

A White House peace plan for Gaza released on Monday proposes an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants and the return of all hostages, living and dead, within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement.

Israeli forces will withdraw to agreed upon lines to prepare for the captive release. Once all Israeli captives are released, Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans who were detained after the start of the war on October 7, 2023, the plan said.

>>Agency