It may finally bring an end to the protracted tragedy and complex humanitarian catastrophe in the strip.
The US-sponsored proposal, which President Trump recently described as a “good opportunity” with the potential to achieve a ceasefire within days, does not introduce a fundamentally new vision.
Instead, it refines specific details in ways that may encourage Israeli approval and respond to mounting American pressure to calm domestic concerns. Public sentiment in the United States increasingly perceives the situation in Gaza as “deeply horrifying.”
This characterization was notably mentioned during a White House ceremony commemorating a peace accord between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In that setting, Gaza again emerged as a topic of concern, underscoring its near-constant presence in both domestic and foreign policy discourse.
The moral burden has grown intense, even as American officials continue to use cautious and measured language to maintain a minimum level of consideration for Israeli sensitivities and influence.
The United States’ increasing proximity to developments on the ground — most notably through the work of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which oversees aid distribution — has meant that Washington is now receiving field reports penned by American eyes and hands.
These reports have conveyed the grim reality of the situation and have documented numerous Israeli violations, especially the targeting of civilians near distribution centres.
This direct exposure has been decisive in pushing Washington beyond Israeli procrastination and into a serious effort to fast-track a settlement centred around the so-called “Steve Witkoff Plan,” which has already received preliminary approval from all principal parties.
The latest plan proposes a 60-day ceasefire, directly guaranteed by President Trump. It outlines a timetable for the release of hostages, with revisions to earlier frameworks that were rejected by both Israel and Hamas.
Under the new schedule, the first day of the truce would see the release of eight Israeli hostages alive, followed on the seventh day by the return of five bodies.
On the 30th day, another five sets of remains would be returned, and on the 50th, two more hostages would be freed. The proposed period would end on the sixtieth day with the return of eight additional bodies.
One key stipulation is that all prisoner exchanges must occur without public fanfare. Simultaneously, the number of humanitarian aid trucks entering Gaza would double, with the United States and the Red Crescent overseeing distribution.
Two accompanying maps are appended to the proposal. The first details the areas from which Israeli forces will withdraw in northern Gaza following the first wave of hostage releases. The second, scheduled for execution on the seventh day after the return of remains, specifies subsequent Israeli withdrawals from areas in southern Gaza.
The Witkoff Plan explicitly calls for the immediate commencement of negotiations toward a “permanent ceasefire” upon the agreement's effective date.
These negotiations will address four central issues: (1) a timetable and mechanism for the release of remaining Israeli hostages; (2) long-term security arrangements for the entire Gaza Strip; (3) governance and reconstruction planning under the rubric of the “day after”; and (4) the nature and substance of a formal declaration of permanent cessation of hostilities.
A mutual commitment is embedded in the plan: Israel must provide complete and detailed information on Palestinian detainees arrested since 7 October 2023.
In return, Hamas is obligated to share all available information and evidence regarding the hostages in its custody, including the deceased, possibly supported by medical documentation.
The three mediators — Egypt, Qatar, and the United States — are tasked with ensuring the seriousness and continuity of negotiations during the 60-day ceasefire.
If progress is deemed sufficient, the truce could be extended to allow for a final agreement on the comprehensive release of all remaining Israeli detainees and bodies held in Gaza.
The prospects for success in the upcoming negotiations, to be led by Steve Witkoff, appear strong in light of a new level of political will on the part of the United States and, at least for now, Israel.
The incentive Washington is offering Israel is no secret: expansion of the Abraham Accords to include new Arab states.
Leaks have suggested potential candidates such as Saudi Arabia and Syria, though neither country has confirmed nor denied this possibility.
What is evident, however, is that the American diplomatic effort seeks to integrate a Gaza settlement into a broader regional initiative — the “day after” scenario — centred on reshaping the Middle East, with Israel playing a central role.
There is also an almost exuberant leap into uncharted territory, especially as discourse about reviving the two-state solution gains traction. American officials have increasingly framed the Gaza agreement as a stepping stone toward a more comprehensive peace accord.
This narrative is now repeated daily in White House briefings, and it has begun to surface in private bilateral discussions and the uninterrupted communications that have been active since the Israel-Iran war ceased.
A possible opening move on this broader strategy could be a security agreement between Israel and Syria’s new regime, which might resolve the long-standing Golan Heights dispute and lead to Israeli withdrawals from territories occupied after the fall of the previous Syrian government.
The UAE is reportedly encouraging Washington to explore the establishment of a new regional security architecture that reflects changes following the recent conflicts with Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in Gaza.
As for Gaza’s future governance, the plan breathes new life into the Palestinian Authority — albeit a restructured version — aligned with new institutional arrangements.
These would include enhanced administrative and security capabilities, with Cairo and Amman expected to play prominent roles.
The vision for Gaza's governance is thus closely tied to a revived two-state solution, reimagined in light of the shifting realities of post-conflict diplomacy.
*The writer is an expert on the Middle East and security affairs.
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