President Donald J. Trump on Monday offered Israel the “full backing” of the United States to destroy Hamas if the militant group refuses to accept a sweeping peace plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
Standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Mr. Trump laid out a 20-point proposal that calls for an immediate release of all hostages and the establishment of a temporary governing body for Gaza, which he termed a “Board of Peace.” The board would be led by the president himself alongside “qualified Palestinians and international experts.”
“I have a feeling that we will have a positive answer. If not, as you know, Bibi, you would have our full backing to do what you have to do,” Mr. Trump said, turning toward Mr. Netanyahu. “Everyone understands that the ultimate result must be the elimination of any danger posed in the region, and the danger is caused by Hamas.”
The president emphasized that the Israeli leader is fully supportive of the proposal. “He understands it’s time. It’s time,” Mr. Trump said. “History has shown, and the people of Israel want it. And the people of the Middle East want it.” He added that he was “hearing that Hamas wants to get this done too, which is a good thing.”
The plan’s unveiling comes nearly two years after Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, raping women, and dragging hundreds of hostages back into Gaza. That attack triggered Israel’s war against Hamas, a war that Mr. Trump now insists must end on terms favorable to Israel’s security.
Mr. Trump was blunt in his assessment of Hamas’s past behavior. Instead of using aid to benefit civilians, he said, the group funneled resources into building an elaborate underground network of “400 miles of tunnels and terror infrastructure.” For that reason, he declared, Hamas must accept the deal presented or face Israel’s continued military campaign with Washington’s blessing.
“It’s time for Hamas to accept the terms of the plan which we have put forward today,” Mr. Trump said.
The press conference, though serious in tone, was not without lighter moments. Mr. Trump joked that Israel had “given up the ocean” in agreeing to a two-state solution, quipping that such a move would never make sense in a real estate deal.
He also made light of his own role in the Abraham Accords, saying he now pronounces them as “Ah-bra-hom” because “the real people” pronounce it that way, and “it is so much more elegant.”
Still, he returned repeatedly to the urgency of the moment and his optimism that a breakthrough is within reach. “We are right there,” Mr. Trump said. “We are right there for the first time in thousands of years.”
For conservatives, the message was clear: Israel’s security remains paramount, America’s backing is unwavering, and Hamas will face destruction unless it seizes what Mr. Trump cast as its last opportunity for peace.
[READ MORE: Trump Pushes Netanyahu Toward Gaza Deal, But Hamas and Arab States Remain Obstacles]
