President Donald Trump secured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's endorsement on Monday for a US-sponsored peace proposal to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza, but questions arose over whether Hamas would accept the plan.

Speaking at a joint press conference at the White House after a meeting with Netanyahu, Trump said they were "very close" to an elusive peace deal for the Palestinian territories. However, he warned the Islamist group Hamas that Israel would have full US support to take any action necessary if the militants reject its offer.

The White House released a 20-point document calling for an immediate ceasefire, the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, and a transitional government led by international bodies.

Trump entered Monday's meeting aiming to overcome Netanyahu's doubts about several parts of the plan. It remains unclear whether the Trump administration and Israel have resolved all their differences, including over the possibility of a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu has vehemently rejected, and the role of the Palestinian Authority in the enclave's post-war governance.

Trump thanked Netanyahu "for his agreement to the plan and for his belief that if we work together, we can end the death and destruction we have witnessed for years, decades, even centuries."

NETANYAHU SAYS PLAN MATCHES ISRAEL'S WAR OBJECTIVES

Standing next to Trump, Netanyahu responded: "I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war objectives. This plan will bring all our hostages back to Israel, dismantle Hamas' military capabilities, end its political power, and ensure that Gaza will never again be a threat to Israel," he said.

However, it is clear that Hamas remains key to the success of Trump's peace proposal. Hamas's absence from negotiations and its repeated refusal to disarm raise doubts about the plan's viability. Hamas, which sparked the war with its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, still holds 48 hostages, 20 of whom are still alive, Israel says.

"Hamas has not officially received the plan; there is no further information other than media publications," a Hamas official told Reuters. However, an official briefed on the negotiations later said that Qatar and Egypt had shared the document with Hamas, which said mediators would review it "in good faith" and then respond.

In Netanyahu's fourth visit to the White House since Trump returned to office in January, the right-wing Israeli leader is seeking to strengthen his country's most important relationship after a number of Western leaders formally accepted Palestinian statehood at the United Nations last week, defying the US and Israel. Trump sharply criticized the recognition of statehood as a gift to Hamas.

Monday's meeting marked an escalation in diplomatic efforts by the president, who pledged during his 2024 presidential campaign to end the conflict quickly and has since repeatedly claimed a peace deal was imminent, but has failed to materialize.

Washington outlined its peace plan to Arab and Muslim nations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last week. Trump delivered a series of enthusiastic proposals on Monday, but ended what was billed as a press conference without taking questions.

He had previously praised international agreements that fell short of promises. He was heading to an August summit in Alaska. Russian President Vladimir Putin sought a ceasefire in the Ukraine war and failed to reach an agreement. Nevertheless, he gave the meeting a "10" on a scale of one to 10.

Netanyahu, while praising Trump as a friend of Israel, distanced himself from several points in Trump's plan, including reforms demanded of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority and the prospect of future Palestinian statehood. The Palestinian Authority welcomed Trump's efforts on Monday and reaffirmed its commitment to working with the US and its partners to reach a comprehensive agreement, WAFA news agency reported. (alg)

Source: Reuters