U.S. President Donald Trump’s new plan to end the war in Gaza is essentially an ultimatum to Hamas to release hostages, give up arms and surrender — or face the full force of the Israeli military with Washington’s explicit blessing.
Trump said Israel would have his “full backing to finish the job” if Hamas rejects the offer, and Israeli troops and tanks are now in the heart of Gaza City, from which 800,000 Palestinians have fled.
In that sense, the proposal is familiar — and one that Hamas has repeatedly rejected over the course of the war.
Israel has said for most of the past two years that the war could end tomorrow if Hamas returned the hostages, disarmed and went into exile. The new approach also makes no meaningful, immediate offer of Palestinian statehood, a goal much of the world