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Trump’s Gaza plan could be ‘breakthrough’, Hamas should ‘consider it seriously’
Although it does not outline a clear path for Palestinian statehood, Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war could be a “breakthrough” if it addresses the main priorities of Palestinians in Gaza – “to end this genocide and prevent forced displacement”, says public policy expert Tamer Qarmout.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Qarmout said the proposal is strengthened by the endorsement of many Arab and Islamic countries and should be taken seriously by all Palestinian factions, including Hamas.
“This is a transitional initiative,” said Qarmout, an associate professor of public policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. “It doesn’t solve the bigger conflict for sure.
“Nevertheless, if it stops this genocidal war now and allows the Palestinians to stay in their land, and allows for reconstruction under an international mandate … it’s something more or less for Hamas to consider seriously and also for other Palestinian actors to consider seriously,” he said.
Hamas will need to go through ‘soul-searching mission’
Public policy expert Tamer Qarmout says Hamas will likely need to redefine itself after the Gaza war, engaging politically without direct control of government or military power.
“Hamas, in my opinion, will remain a Palestinian political party – not in governance, maybe not militarily, but it has an opportunity to go through this soul-searching mission and maybe embrace a new relevant identity and remain politically active through different means,” Qarmout told Al Jazeera.
Hamas still has a “large civil audience in Gaza”, where it must have a future, Qarmout stressed, warning that post-conflict attempts to dismantle other political movements in the region, like De-Ba’athification in Iraq, proved detrimental.
“We don’t want to repeat the mistakes of other conflicts in the region,” he said. “The solutions are there if there is a political will and a political buy-in and an investment in this process.”
Sounds like a fairy tale. Netanyahu is dead set on eliminating Hamas, Hamas is fully aware of this and won't lay down their weapons. The US-French backed 'ceasefire' in Lebanon says it all.
Israel’s Smotrich blasts Trump’s Gaza plan as ‘resounding diplomatic failure’
Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has thrown cold water on the Trump-proposed, Netanyahu-backed Gaza plan, calling it a “resounding diplomatic failure” that will “end in tears”.
In a lengthy post on X, Smotrich criticised the plan for “handing our security over to foreigners” and “squandering” an opportunity to completely nix Palestinian statehood ambitions. “Our children will be forced to fight again in Gaza,” he declared.
Nevertheless, Smotrich appeared to suggest that, despite his reservations, there may be practical reasons to consider the plan.
“Given the reality created by international pressure, the destructive hostages campaign, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s initial unwillingness to conquer Gaza and to adopt the original Trump plan, the army’s dragging of its feet and the failure to bring military leaders to the place we want, the faltering coalition and the natural war fatigue after two years of war – in light of all that, is there no choice and is this the maximum that can be achieved right now?” Smotrich asked.
“Those are good questions. We will consult, consider and decide, God willing. But the celebrations since yesterday are simply absurd.”
