President Donald Trump delivered a 72-hour ultimatum Monday demanding Hamas accept a comprehensive Gaza peace framework or face complete destruction with full American support for Israeli military operations, The Wall Street Journal reported, adding that the plan included Israeli input that prevented the use of problematic language on Palestinian statehood.
Trump's warning escalated months of pressure on the terror organization to release remaining hostages, threatening expanded warfare to end nearly two years of fighting. "Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas," Trump declared if negotiations collapse.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed Trump's diplomatic gamble during White House meetings, affirming independent military action remained viable, according to The Wall Street Journal. "Israel will finish the job by itself," Netanyahu stated. "This can be done the easy way, or it can be done the hard way, but it has to be done." The proposed framework would establish Trump as chairman of a "Board of Peace" overseeing Gaza's temporary governance while Arab-led stabilization forces maintain order and Israeli forces gradually withdraw.
Video: Trump and Netanyahu on Sept. 30, 2025 / Credit: Reuters
Eight Arab foreign ministers responded by endorsing American diplomatic initiatives while demanding complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and the territory's reconstruction, The Wall Street Journal noted. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt pledged cooperation with Washington to terminate the conflict and requested renewed negotiations leading to Palestinian statehood. Israeli input helped develop the framework, with Jerusalem securing modifications that preserve potential Palestinian sovereignty while avoiding the term "two-state solution."
Michael Singh of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy assessed the approach positively, stating the framework "tries to bridge some of the gaps that have plagued diplomacy to date," though "it may not end the fighting or gain immediate purchase." However, clear obstacles emerged as Hamas has not indicated endorsement, Arab nations appear unlikely to deploy forces during continued Israeli operations, and Netanyahu rejected Palestinian Authority involvement in postwar governance. "Gaza will have a peaceful civilian administration that is run neither by Hamas nor by the Palestinian Authority," Netanyahu declared, adding "the vast majority of Israelis have no faith that the PA leopard will change its spots."
Hamas has opposed disarmament requirements while claiming difficulty releasing all hostages within the 48-hour timeframe, having lost contact with some holding groups, Arab officials reported. Without clear two-state solution progress, Saudi Arabia appears unlikely to finance the framework, while inherent complications exclude skepticism from various officials about ending hostilities advantaging their objectives. Shalom Lipner of the Atlantic Council warned: "There will be many spoilers working hard to make sure that doesn't happen."
Trump pressured Netanyahu toward accepting peace framework terms during a three-way conversation with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, where the Israeli leader apologized for deadly strikes against Hamas negotiators in Doha. "I want to assure you that Israel was targeting Hamas, not Qataris. I also want to assure you that Israel has no plan to violate your sovereignty again in the future, and I have made that commitment to the president," Netanyahu stated according to his office's readout, The Wall Street Journal confirmed.
