Gazans trapped by two years of war cautiously welcome Trump’s peace plan

Palestinians see Hamas as a key factor in their suffering, but fear entrenched foreign influence may be the price of ending the war

Palestinian boys walk among rubble after an Israeli air strike in Gaza city on Tuesday. EPA

Residents of Gaza have cautiously embraced US President Donald Trump's new peace plan, although many are divided over some of its provisions. After almost two years of fierce conflict, many see the proposal as the only viable path to end the bloodshed that has torn their lives apart.

Mr Trump's 20-point plan, unveiled on Monday and backed by many Arab countries, would bring an immediate end to the war. It stipulates that all hostages would be released within 72 hours, while aid would be allowed to enter the strip unhindered.

The proposal also introduces a temporary international stabilisation force to oversee the peace process, along with a committee of local and international technocrats to assume temporary control of Gaza, with the Palestinian Authority gradually taking over.

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Despite the plan’s promise of peace, its implications remain deeply unsettling for many Gazans, who see it as a bitter compromise between their desire for calm and the risk of increased foreign influence over their lives.

Ameen Al Ghazi, 45, a father of four currently displaced near Gaza Port, expressed weary optimism about the proposal.

“Trump’s plan, for us in Gaza, is seen as a perfect opportunity to end the war,” he told The National. “Of course, it’s not everything we want, but at least the plan would stop the war and rid us of Hamas’s rule.”

Having seen the Israeli war devastate his community, Mr Al Ghazi believes Hamas is a significant contributor to the crisis in Gaza.

“Hamas is one of the reasons for the catastrophe we are living through,” he said. “Because of its stubbornness and obstinacy, we have reached this point, dying slowly day by day. Hamas and the other factions in Gaza have led us into the mud and into hell. For this reason, they should have no role in governing Gaza.”

A Palestinian woman and child wait to receive treatment at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city on Monday. Reuters

Across Gaza, the sentiment towards Hamas’s leadership is one of deep frustration, with many seeing the group’s role as a key factor in prolonging the conflict.

“For two years of war, we have lived through horrors and endless suffering, and unfortunately, we have never found Hamas standing by us in these difficult circumstances,” Mr Al Ghazi said.

“We didn’t even find a Palestinian voice to comfort us. That’s why despair has overtaken us, and we now welcome any plan that stops the war, even if it is originally Israeli, even if it represents defeat and victory for the occupation. Because all we want now is for the war to end, nothing more.”

Amani Islim, 35, a mother of three from Gaza city, now displaced to Deir Al Balah, shares Mr Al Ghazi's longing for peace but voiced caution about Mr Trump’s plan.

“Hamas is the one that brought us to this stage. It was Hamas that kept rejecting proposals until we ended up with this one, which amounts to a new western mandate over Palestinian land,” she said.

“Today, Hamas has no choice and no luxury to reject this proposal, given the catastrophic and extremely difficult conditions the Gaza Strip is experiencing.”

A Palestinian man waits to receive food from a charity kitchen in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Tuesday. AFP

Ms Islim’s words reflect a broader concern among residents: that the plan, while ending the violence, may solidify Israeli control and foreign governance in Gaza.

“The occupation kills and slaughters us daily, and the world pays no real attention to what is happening, other than issuing timid appeals,” she added. “If Hamas rejects Trump’s plan, the world will simply say: here is Hamas again, refusing and obstructing the agreement.”

Despite the harsh reality, Ms Islim recognises that Gazans may have little choice but to accept the plan, however unjust it may seem. “Trump’s plan will bring in a foreign authority to administer the strip, while the Palestinian Authority will only take part after some time. This, in itself, entrenches the occupation’s policy and Israel’s vision. But as I said, we do not have the luxury, nor the time, to reject or manoeuvre.”

The humanitarian toll of the war has led many residents to abandon any idealism. “Today, we live displaced from Gaza city in Deir Al Balah, under extremely harsh conditions,” Ms Islim said. “We know the plan is unjust and unfair, but we have no solution before us other than to accept it. Afterwards, the details can be discussed.”

Musab Al Muqayyad, 29, who has been displaced to Al Mawasi in southern Gaza, said the focus must be on ending the violence, even at the cost of future uncertainty.

“Trump’s plan is unrealistic and cannot be applied from a Palestinian perspective, except for one purpose only: to stop the war and end the bloodshed,” he told The National. Although the plan is deeply flawed, he added, its immediate objective of stopping the bloodshed is crucial.

Palestinian children gather leaflets dropped by the Israeli military in Gaza city on Tuesday, bearing an order for civilians to leave the area. EPA

Mr Al Muqayyad also expressed concerns that the plan will further entrench foreign influence in the enclave. “I believe the American and Israeli plan is to turn Gaza into an American protectorate, with no Palestinian role except under impossible conditions, such as reforming the Palestinian Authority, something we all know Israel could easily sabotage through various means and baseless objections,” he said.

However, having suffered great personal loss during the war, Mr Al Muqayyad highlighted the urgent need for peace. “In this war, I lost my father and my brother, who became martyrs, and we lost our homes in Jabalia camp. Now we are displaced in Al Mawasi. Honestly, neither I nor my family have the strength to bear more losses under this brutal war.”

Foreign control may be the price of peace for Gazans, but for many, the priority remains clear: ending the war. Whether or not Mr Trump’s plan delivers on its promises remains uncertain, but the alternative of continuing the conflict is no longer bearable for its victims.