Hamas has received the U.S.-brokered plan to end the war in Gaza and pledged to examine it “responsibly,” even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel will act unilaterally if the militant group rejects the proposal.
Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera, citing a diplomatic source, reported late Monday that Qatar and Egypt delivered the White House plan to Hamas leaders.
According to the report, the Hamas delegation promised to study the proposal with “responsibility,” raising cautious hopes that the U.S.-backed framework could move forward.
But speaking at a joint press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, Netanyahu warned that Israel will not hesitate to escalate its military campaign if Hamas refuses to comply.
“If Hamas rejects the plan, or if they supposedly accept it and then do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself.
“This can be done the easy way or the hard way, but it will be done. We prefer the easy way, but it has to be done,” Netanyahu declared.
The U.S. plan, unveiled by Trump earlier in the day, calls for a phased ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages within 72 hours, and the creation of an international body to oversee the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarisation of Gaza.
Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s war aims remain unchanged: Hamas must be dismantled, Gaza must be permanently demilitarised, and the Palestinian Authority will not be allowed to return to power in the enclave unless it undergoes what he described as a “radical transformation.”
“That means ending ‘pay to slay,’ changing poisonous textbooks that teach hatred to Jewish children, stopping incitement in the media, ending lawfare against Israel at the ICC and ICJ, recognising the Jewish state, and many other reforms,” he said.
Netanyahu dismissed calls for a future Palestinian state, warning it would “reward terrorists, undermine security, and endanger Israel’s very existence.”
Despite the tough rhetoric, the Israeli leader struck a hopeful note about the potential for broader regional realignment.
He said Trump’s plan “can be not only a new beginning for Gaza; I think it can be a new beginning for the entire region,” adding that it could revive and expand the Abraham Accords with Arab states.
The prime minister also confirmed a recent call with Qatar’s prime minister, in which he expressed regret for the death of a Qatari citizen in a September strike aimed at Hamas leaders in Doha.
“Israel was targeting terrorists. It wasn’t targeting Qatar,” Netanyahu said, adding that addressing grievances through a new trilateral mechanism announced by Trump “would be good for everyone.”
Hamas to review U.S. Gaza peace plan