Washington: The White House unveiled a 20-point ceasefire plan for Gaza on Monday. President Donald Trump presented it alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hailing it as historic. But beneath the grandeur lies a tangle of ambiguous provisions that could shape the future of Gaza, Palestine and the region in unpredictable ways.
Here are five critical, unresolved questions in the plan:
How Will Gaza Be Governed?
The proposal envisions “temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee” to oversee Gaza. But it gives no clarity on how the committee will be formed or who will select its members.
Trump and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair are set to lead a “Board of Peace” to supervise the committee. The plan remains silent on how the board interacts with the Palestinian panel or who makes day-to-day decisions.
Will The Palestinian Authority Be Involved?
Trump’s plan states the transitional authorities would manage Gaza until “the Palestinian Authority (PA) has completed its reform” and “can securely and effectively take back control”. But who will certify the PA’s readiness remains unanswered. There are no benchmarks and no timeline, only a vague promise.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, has ruled out a return of the PA to Gaza. “Gaza will be administered neither by Hamas, nor by the Palestinian Authority,” he declared at the White House press conference.
How Will The International Force Operate?
The plan calls for “a temporary International Stabilisation Force” to secure Gaza. Where this force will come from, which nations will send troops and what their precise mandate will be are unclear.
Will they act as an army, police or observers? Will they confront Hamas directly? Could they engage Israeli troops to protect Palestinians? The rules of engagement remain undefined.
When Will Israel Withdraw?
According to the proposal, Israel will withdraw based on “standards, milestones and timeframes linked to demilitarisation”. But no schedule or criteria are provided.
Israel will maintain a “security perimeter” until Gaza is deemed secure from “any resurgent terror threat”. Who determines that security remains unspecified.
Is Palestinian Statehood On The Horizon?
Trump acknowledged the delicate nature of statehood during Monday’s press conference. “Several allies had ‘foolishly recognised the Palestinian state… but they are really, I think, doing that because they are very tired of what is going on,’” he said.
The proposal mentions Palestinian self-determination but only behind a cloud of conditions. “While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform programme is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognise as the aspiration of the Palestinian people,” the plan states.
Statehood is conditional. Discussions “may” occur, but recognition is not guaranteed. As with other provisions, this section is shrouded in vagueness.
The White House plan promises a new era for Gaza and the region. But these unanswered questions leave a lingering uncertainty: will it deliver peace or will ambiguity reign supreme?