WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to a peace plan that would lead to the release of hostages, end the war and put Gaza under new management — if Hamas also accepts.

The two leaders pitched the announcement as a major breakthrough in a conflict that has seen previous ceasefires fall through and regional tensions skyrocket as Israel continues a punishing campaign that has provoked international outrage over the civilian death toll and humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

It's implementation is contingent on support from Hamas, which says it has not yet received the plan. Trump said at the White House event that if Hamas doesn't accept, Israel will have full U.S. backing to continue military operations in Gaza.

"This could be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done. We prefer the easy, but it has to be done," Netanyahu said, while adding that if Hamas rejects the plan, "Israel will finish the job by itself."

Under the plan that Trump proposed on Sept. 29, the war would end and Hamas would release within 72 hours all of the remaining hostages in Gaza who were taken nearly two years ago during a terror attack on Israel.

Gaza would also be redeveloped, with the option for Palestinians who want to remain in the country to stay. Hamas fighters would get amnesty and the territory would come under temporary governance by a new, Palestinian committee that would be overseen by a "Board of Peace." Trump would personally chair the panel, alongside other foreign leaders, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

"I have a feeling that we're going to have a positive answer but if not, as you know Bibi, you'd have our full backing to do what you would have to do," Trump told the Israeli leader.

Trump presented the plan to Arab leaders last week in private, ramping up pressure on an increasingly isolated Israel to end the war that began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 and taking 251 hostages.

Since then, Israel has leveled large swaths of Gaza. An estimated 66,000 Palestinians have died, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The dire conditions in Gaza have sparked international backlash, prompting multiple western countries to recognize a Palestinian state in defiance of the U.S. and Israel.

The meeting also produced another development that could help with peace negotiations: during a call with Trump and the Qatari prime minister, Netanyahu expressed regret over a missile strike in Qatar against Hamas that killed a Qatari serviceman. Netanyahu further expressed regret about violating Qatari sovereignty and said Israel will not conduct strikes in Qatar again, the White House said in a statement.

Israel carried out an airstrike targeting the Hamas political leadership in Doha, Qatar on Sept. 9. Six people, including five Hamas members, were killed.

Netanyahu visited the White House for the fourth time this year, seeking to shore up support from a key ally amid an intense push by world leaders to stop the conflict. Britain, Canada, Australia and France all recognized a Palestinian state this month, infuriating Netanyahu who denounced the move during a fiery United Nations address. Many delegates walked out during the speech, in which he reinforced his opposition to an independent Palestinian state.

The U.S. has strongly backed Israel's response to the Oct. 7 assault, but Trump has grown increasingly frustrated as the conflict drags out. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Netanyahu on Sept. 27 to hash out the details of the peace plan.

A pivotal aspect of the plan for Israel: Releasing around 48 hostages believed to be in Gaza, with about 20 still alive. The plan would also include the release of 250 life sentence prisoners in Israel, 1,700 detainee and the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.

Trump during a February meeting with Netanyahu proposed the U.S. taking over Gaza, relocating roughly 2 million Palestinians to neighboring Arab countries and redeveloping the war-ravaged enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” His plan now says residents of Gaza will be encouraged to stay and offered “the opportunity to build a better Gaza.”

Contributing: Reuters

This story has been updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump unveils plan to end war in Gaza and warns Hamas about rejecting it

Reporting by Francesca Chambers and Zac Anderson, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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