HAMAS and Israel endorsed the United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for ending the two-year war in Gaza.
Consequently, the Palestinian genocide halted with the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement. The plan has germinated an intense debate. Many have considered it as the only viable solution to stop the genocide of Palestinians. However, critics are expressing their serious reservations about the perceived outcome of the plan. Israeli Parliament ratified a ceasefire agreement with Hamas on October 10, 2025. According to it, the hostilities in Gaza will be suspended within 24 hours, Israeli 48 hostages held by Hamas will be released within 72 hours, the Israeli forces will partially withdraw to the “yellow line” retaining 53 per cent control, and 600 daily aid trucks will be allowed into the enclave. It is expected that following the freedom of Israeli hostages, Tel Aviv will free 1,950 Palestinians. The release of hostages, Hamas disarmament, the Trump Administration’s role and the rehabilitation of the Palestinians will determine the future of the Gazans.
The ceasefire was met with jubilation by Palestinians and families of Israeli hostages, a clear sign of the hope it has brought. Arab and Western countries also expressed relief over the end of the war. President Trump described it as an initial step towards wider Middle East reconciliation, a sentiment that resonated with many. He wrote, “All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding nations and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkeye, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen.” Eight leading Muslim countries, including Pakistan, have endorsed Trump’s plan, viewing it as the only viable option to halt the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza. The critics of the endorsement of the plan have failed to realize the limits of bargaining with Israel and the United States. During the two-year war, the Israeli military effectively neutralized the Iranian-supported axis of resistance. Hamas did not receive substantial military assistance from the neighborhood. Israel received immense military and economic aid from the United States, a key player in the Middle East conflict due to its strong support for Israel.
Although Islamabad termed Trump’s plan a ‘historic opportunity’ for lasting peace in the Middle East, it maintains its stance on the establishment of an independent Palestinian State on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital and Israel’s complete withdrawal from occupied Gaza. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said, “We alone are not in a position to stop this war. On this matter, even the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the United Nations and the Security Council have failed. If we tried to carve out some way forward, it should be welcomed.” The Tehreek-e-Labbaik launched its Gaza March to express solidarity with Palestinians on October 10, 2025, after Hamas accepted the peace plan. One fails to understand why they did not protest or organize supportive rallies during the last two years. Ironically, the TLP Gaza March only caused anarchy in the province of Punjab, Pakistan, without having any impact on the lives of the Gazans.
While the ceasefire is a significant step, it’s crucial to remain cautious. The instability in Gaza might continue due to Netanyahu and his cohort’s extremist mindset. Netanyahu’s right-wing government included officials who were openly supporting the annexation of the entire Palestinian territory. He opined, “full Israeli security control over all of the territory west of the Jordan [River]”—land that would include East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Therefore, there are ample chances that Tel Aviv will backtrack on its commitments despite Hamas and the Palestinian Authority following their commitments. The exiled Gaza chief of Hamas, Khalil Al-Hayya, said he had received guarantees from the United States and other mediators that the war was over. Following the commencement of the ceasefire, Israel’s military spokesperson, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, stated, “Hamas is not the Hamas of two years ago. Hamas has been defeated every place we fought them.” Hence, the US President Donald Trump needs to consistently and continuously monitor the peace plan.
Notably, despite two years of military brutality, the Israel armed forces failed to annex Gaza to Israel and quash the Palestinians’ right of self-determination aspiration. It only succeeded in producing a humanitarian catastrophe in the entire region. Conversely, Hamas has failed to defeat its adversary militarily but secure immense political and diplomatic support from the international community. Most states today are supporting a two-state solution. For instance, in September 2025, the “New York Declaration”, which outlines “tangible, time-bound and irreversible steps” towards a two-state solution, was adopted in the United Nations General Assembly by 142 votes in favour, 10 against, and 12 abstentions. It testifies that the international community is convinced that the plausible arrangement is the two-state solution, which could meet the national aspirations of the two peoples living in a single land, for sustainable peace in the Middle East.
To conclude, the current ceasefire in Gaza will be a temporary solution. The Trump Plan is a transitional arrangement that is not sufficient and is almost certainly not a roadmap for a sustainable peace. The unsustainability of the status quo necessitates that the international community, especially the US, push the Israelis and the Palestinians to embrace the two states coexisting peacefully side by side finally.
—The writer is Prof at the School of Politics and IR, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
