U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are quietly negotiating a hard-line, take-it-or-leave-it proposal that would give Hamas a stark ultimatum:
- Release every Israeli captive in a single batch.
- Surrender all weapons.
- Accept an internationally run administration for Gaza—headed by the United States—starting the very next day.
How the plan would unfold
- “Final warning”: Israeli Channel 12, which leaked the story, calls the offer a quasi-secret ultimatum. If Hamas rejects it—deemed the most likely outcome—Israel would receive what sources describe as a full green light from the Trump White House for unrestricted military action in Gaza.
- No sweeteners for Hamas: Unlike previous drafts that dangled incremental cease-fires or reconstruction funds, the new scheme offers no incentives and makes no mention of Palestinian statehood.
- International governance: An interim Gaza government would be installed under U.S. leadership, effectively sidelining both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
Why now?
- Hostage videos: The proposal surfaced after Hamas released disturbing footage of hostages Evyatar David and Rom Breslavsky, whom Israeli officials accuse Hamas of deliberately starving to ratchet up pressure on Jerusalem.
- Negotiations at a standstill: Mediators admit optimism has cratered; Israeli sources say “no deal is on the horizon.”
What’s next
Channel 12 reports the Trump team believes the partial 60-day cease-fire framework is dead. If Hamas refuses the new terms, Israel is expected to resume large-scale operations with explicit U.S. backing.