Trump's 20-Point Plan for Israel-Hamas Peace: Mediated Talks Begin in Egypt

President Trump has outlined a comprehensive 20-point plan aimed at ending the prolonged Israel-Hamas conflict.

President Donald Trump is actively urging Israel and Hamas to reach a settlement to end the two-year conflict that has devastated Gaza and destabilized the Middle East, with mediated talks scheduled to begin Monday.

The initial indicator of whether these negotiations, hosted by Egypt, are productive will depend on whether Hamas complies with Trump's demand to release all remaining hostages, including those deceased, in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are traveling to Egypt to participate in the talks at Sharm el Sheikh. An Israeli delegation led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will take part in these indirect negotiations, while Hamas will be represented by Ghazi Hamad, Osama Hamdan, and Muhamed Darwish according to Israel's Kan News.

"I am told that the first phase should be completed this week," Trump stated on Truth Social, adding that discussions regarding the peace deal have been "very positive" and he is urging all parties to proceed expeditiously.

Trump, who has presented a 20-point plan to end the war, has clearly expressed his growing impatience with both Hamas and Israel, even though the militant group has not yet accepted the complete proposal, which would include its ultimate disarmament.

The US president contacted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend to acknowledge Hamas' apparent willingness to release the hostages, as reported by Axios on Sunday, but the Israeli prime minister argued that the offer lacked substance. According to the report, Trump responded sharply to Netanyahu's "negative" attitude, stating, "This is a win. Take it."

The Israeli military has adopted a defensive position in Gaza City, while Hamas reported that airstrikes and shelling continued in the enclave's de facto capital, resulting in dozens of casualties.

Over the weekend, Netanyahu indicated that Israel's military would redeploy within the territory, leaving open the possibility of forcibly disarming Hamas.

Netanyahu stated that an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners would occur immediately upon reaching an agreement, while Hamas's disarmament would follow in a subsequent phase.

"We are the closest we have been in a very long time," Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on Fox News Sunday.

However, he noted that the hostage release and prisoner exchange represented just the first—and perhaps least challenging—step. The more difficult tasks would involve rebuilding Gaza and determining its future governance.

"That's the part that I think is going to be a little tougher to work through, but that's what's going to provide permanency to the end of the conflict. So we're focused on those two phases," Rubio explained on ABC's This Week.

Specific details about Trump's plan remain limited, and his call for an immediate ceasefire may still prove politically challenging for Netanyahu, as some of his far-right cabinet members might resist negotiating with Hamas. The group—designated as a terrorist organization by the US, European Union, and others—has not yet agreed to key provisions in Trump's plan, including disarmament and exclusion from post-war governance in Gaza.

Iran-backed Hamas initiated the war by attacking Israel from Gaza on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250 others. Of those taken, 48 remain in Gaza, with Israel believing approximately 20 are still alive. Israel has lost over 450 soldiers in Gaza combat operations since then.

More than 66,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory. Israel's military campaign has triggered famine in parts of the enclave, according to a UN-backed organization, with another UN-backed panel characterizing it as genocide.

The upcoming talks in Egypt represent the most promising diplomatic opportunity yet in the conflict, which will reach its two-year anniversary on Tuesday.

Israeli financial assets have strengthened on prospects of an end to the Gaza war. The shekel was the best-performing currency among approximately 30 major currencies tracked by Bloomberg last week, appreciating 1.9% against the dollar to reach its strongest level since 2022.

For Trump, achieving a truce in the coming days and securing the release of hostages could enhance his campaign for the Nobel Peace Prize, with the next recipient scheduled to be announced on October 10. Bloomberg has reported that the president's public and private efforts to obtain this prestigious award have intensified recently.