Gaza Peace Plan

The U.S. has unveiled a Gaza Peace Plan, claimed to be a roadmap for attaining stability in the region. The plan has received mixed reactions from the Arab nations, while Israel has welcomed it. Read here to learn more.

U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a 20-point “peace plan” for Gaza, billed as a roadmap to stability in the wake of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the devastating Israeli response.

The plan has been welcomed by Israel and cautiously endorsed by several Arab nations, but it is already drawing sharp criticism for excluding Palestinian voices and failing to address the fundamental issue of Palestinian statehood.

Table of Contents

Gaza Peace Plan: Geopolitical Context

The Gaza conflict has become a flashpoint in West Asia, with regional and global powers positioning themselves differently:

Israel seeks to destroy Hamas and secure long-term control over its borders and security environment.
Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE, are balancing between appeasing domestic outrage over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and aligning with U.S.-brokered frameworks that might bring long-term regional stability.
The U.S., under Trump, aims to reassert its primacy in West Asia, counter rivals such as Iran, Russia, and China, and frame itself as the “only power capable of brokering peace.”
Iran and its allies (Hezbollah, Houthis) reject the plan, viewing it as a mechanism to sideline resistance groups and cement U.S.-Israeli dominance.

Key Features of the Gaza Peace Plan

Immediate Ceasefire: A halt to hostilities in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages.
No Displacement: Palestinians cannot be forcibly removed from Gaza, a concern amid Israel’s past proposals for relocation.
International Governance Body: Gaza to be administered by a “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump, sidelining the Palestinian Authority until it undergoes reform.
International Stabilisation Force (ISF): To be deployed in Gaza, while Israeli forces maintain a security perimeter, ensuring Israel retains effective control.
Hamas Demobilisation: Full disarmament of Hamas is a prerequisite for the plan’s success.

Geopolitical Dimensions of the Gaza Peace Plan

For Israel: The plan provides security guarantees and international cover for its objectives, ensuring Hamas’s disarmament without forcing immediate concessions on Palestinian sovereignty.
For Arab States: The plan offers a chance to de-escalate regional tensions, avoid mass displacement into Egypt or Jordan, and open pathways for normalisation with Israel (building on the Abraham Accords).
For the U.S.: It reasserts America’s central role in West Asia, offering Trump a geopolitical win by showcasing “peace-making” at a time of waning U.S. influence.
For Iran: The plan sidelines its allies in Gaza and could isolate Tehran further if Arab states back the arrangement. This risks intensifying proxy conflicts.
For Palestinians: The absence of representation makes the plan appear as an externally imposed settlement, reminiscent of the 2020 “Deal of the Century,” raising doubts about legitimacy and compliance.

Criticisms and Concerns

Exclusion of Palestinians: By leaving Palestinians out of the negotiations, the plan risks repeating the failures of past accords, where imposed solutions collapsed.
Security Bias: The ISF and Israeli security perimeter prioritise Israeli security over Palestinian sovereignty.
Lack of Timelines: No clarity on how long international oversight will last or what milestones must be achieved.
No Path to Statehood: The plan is silent on Palestinian aspirations for an independent state, which remains central to resolving the conflict.
Risk of Entrenching Divides: Without a credible political horizon, Palestinian resistance may intensify, and the plan could fuel greater instability.

Broader Implications of the Gaza Peace Plan

Arab Normalisation with Israel: If successful, the plan could accelerate Saudi-Israel ties, reshaping regional alignments.
Shift in Power Dynamics: By sidelining Iran’s proxies and reinforcing U.S.-led security structures, the plan tilts the balance in favor of U.S.-Israeli-Arab blocs.
Impact on Global Politics: With Russia and China backing alternative peace efforts, the Trump plan may deepen great-power competition over West Asia.

Timeline of the key peace initiatives and accords related to the Israel-Palestine conflict

Here is a concise timeline of the key peace initiatives and accords that have shaped the Israel-Palestine conflict, useful for geopolitical and UPSC context:

1947–48: UN Partition Plan and Arab-Israeli War

UN proposes partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem as an international city.
Plan rejected by Arab states, leading to the 1948 Arab-Israeli war and the displacement of Palestinians (Nakba).

1967: UN Resolution 242 (Post Six-Day War)

Called for Israel’s withdrawal from territories occupied in the 1967 war in exchange for recognition by Arab states.
Became the cornerstone of the “land for peace” formula.

1978: Camp David Accords

Brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter between Egypt (Anwar Sadat) and Israel (Menachem Begin).
Egypt recognizes Israel; Israel withdraws from Sinai.
Created a framework for Palestinian autonomy, though not implemented fully.

1991: Madrid Conference

First direct negotiations between Israel and Arab states, including Palestinians.
Laid groundwork for the Oslo process.

1993: Oslo Accords (Oslo I)

Signed between Israel (Yitzhak Rabin) and PLO (Yasser Arafat).
Mutual recognition: PLO recognized Israel’s right to exist; Israel recognized PLO as representative of Palestinians.
Created the Palestinian Authority (PA) with limited self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza.

1995: Oslo II Agreement

Expanded PA control, but divided the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C with differing Israeli/Palestinian authority.

2000: Camp David II Summit

U.S. President Bill Clinton mediated talks between Ehud Barak (Israel) and Yasser Arafat (PLO).
Failed due to disagreements on Jerusalem, refugees, and final borders.
Sparked the Second Intifada (2000–2005).

2002: Arab Peace Initiative (Saudi Plan)

Proposed normalization of relations between Israel and Arab states in return for full withdrawal to 1967 borders and fair resolution of the refugee issue.
Rejected by Israel, supported by the Arab League.

2003: Roadmap for Peace

Proposed by the Quartet (U.S., UN, EU, Russia).
Three-phase plan: end violence, create a Palestinian state by 2005.
Implementation stalled amid continued violence.

2007: Annapolis Conference

U.S.-sponsored meeting under George W. Bush to restart negotiations.
No final settlement reached.

2020: Abraham Accords

Brokered by the U.S. under Donald Trump.
UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan normalize relations with Israel.
Palestinians excluded, saw it as a betrayal.

2023: Hamas-Israel War (October 7th)

Hamas’s attack led to Israel’s most intense military campaign in Gaza.
Renewed global urgency for peace frameworks.

2025: Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan

A 20-point proposal including a ceasefire, international governance of Gaza, Hamas demobilization, and an international stabilization force.
Criticized for excluding Palestinians and lacking a roadmap for statehood.

Conclusion

Each attempt at peace has faltered due to core unresolved issues: the status of Jerusalem, the Palestinian refugees’ right of return, Israeli settlements, borders, and Palestinian statehood.

The 2025 Gaza Peace Plan fits into this longer history of external interventions that prioritize security arrangements over Palestinian political inclusion, raising doubts about its sustainability.

While it offers Israel and its Arab allies a security-centric framework, its exclusion of Palestinians and silence on statehood may make it unsustainable in the long run. True peace in Gaza requires not just security guarantees but also political inclusion, legitimacy, and a credible roadmap for Palestinian self-determination.

Without addressing these core issues, the plan risks being viewed less as a peace agreement and more as a geopolitical arrangement serving U.S. and Israeli interests.

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