Time is running out for Hamas. U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a 21-point plan for Gaza, but only gave the Palestinian armed resistance group 3-4 days to respond.
Israeli planes and tanks pounded residential neighborhoods in Gaza throughout the night. Local health authorities said that at least 35 people across Gaza had been killed by the military on Wednesday, most of them in Gaza City.
While the world awaits Hamas response, a strike on the old city in northwestern Gaza City killed seven people, while six people sheltering in a school in another part of the city were killed in a separate strike.
The Israeli military issued new orders for people to leave for the south and said it would no longer allow those to return to the north, as Gaza City came under heavy bombing.
Defence Minister Israel Katz described the move as tightening the encirclement around Gaza on the way to defeating Hamas, saying Palestinians willing to leave to the south would have to go through army vetting.
This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south and leave Hamas operatives isolated in Gaza City itself in the face of the IDFs continuing full-scale operations, Katz said.
The Israeli military also said that starting on Wednesday it would no longer allow people to use a coastal road to move from the south to communities in the north.
Gaza continues to suffer from genocide, starvation and lack of basic medical care. Israel continues to prevent aid trucks into Gaza, and has prevented the Gaza flotilla, consisting of 52 ships from 44 countries filled with aid to arrive. Israel has killed over 60,000 people in the war crime of collective punishment, where women and children were executed for the crimes of Hamas.
Trumps plan includes a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and a transitional international governance structure aimed at ending the war and overseeing the strip's reconstruction.
The plan has received cautious support from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but is being met with significant reservations from Hamas, Israeli extremists, and some Arab partners.
A Detailed Breakdown of the Plan:
Ceasefire and Hostage Release: The proposal mandates an immediate, comprehensive ceasefire across Gaza. It requires the unconditional release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas within 48 hours, coupled with the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including 100-200 serving long sentences.
Demilitarization and Hamas Exit: A central pillar demands that Hamas must disarm and its members leave Gaza. Amnesty would be offered to members who agree to peaceful coexistence. An international Arab force, operating under a time-bound framework, would be tasked with collecting weapons.
Transitional Governance: Gaza would be governed by a temporary international body, tentatively named the Gaza International Transitional Authority (GITA). Palestinian technocrats would manage daily affairs under the supervision of Arab and European partners, with no role for Hamas or other militant groups. A "Board of Peace," reportedly to be chaired by Trump, would oversee the recruitment and training of the new government.
Reconstruction and Humanitarian Relief: The plan guarantees unhindered entry of humanitarian aid via the UN and international organizations, with safe corridors established across Gaza. A five-year reconstruction plan led by an international and Arab consortium is proposed, with an initial budget of $90 million, rising to $164 million by the third year.
Political Guarantees and Future Path: Israel would withdraw to an agreed line, explicitly avoiding the annexation of Gaza or the West Bank. The plan encourages Palestinians to remain in Gaza, ruling out forced displacement. It offers a conditional pathway to future Palestinian statehood, contingent on reforms and peaceful governance, with final-status negotiations to resume between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
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