Israeli political leaders across party lines have largely welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly announced peace proposal for Gaza, which calls for an end to hostilities and the release of Israeli hostages within 72 hours.
However, some expressed skepticism over Hamas’s willingness to comply with the plan’s core conditions.
The plan, unveiled during a joint appearance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, has been described by supporters as a significant diplomatic breakthrough aimed at ending the conflict while ensuring Israel’s security.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana of the ruling Likud Party praised the development, sharing a photo of Trump and Netanyahu on X with the caption, “Yes, another league”—a nod to Netanyahu’s 2019 campaign slogan highlighting his close relationships with global leaders.
Shas party leader Aryeh Deri hailed the summit’s outcome as a blessing, thanking God for what he called a successful meeting at the White House. Deri applauded Trump and Netanyahu for their united front and voiced hope that the hostages would be returned before the upcoming Sukkot holiday.
Surprisingly, even critics of Netanyahu offered support. Yair Golan, leader of the opposition Democratic Union, said his left-wing faction would provide the government with parliamentary backing if required to pass the deal.
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“Ending the war, returning the hostages, disarming and dismantling Hamas—you’d have to be an absolute hater of Israel to refuse Trump’s plan,” Golan said, while noting that true celebration would only begin “once we see all the hostages back home.”
Reactions within Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition were more divided. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi embraced the proposal as a demonstration of “peace through strength,” warning Hamas with the message: “Surrender or be destroyed!” He reiterated that “a Palestinian state will never be established in the land of our forefathers.”
Economy Minister Nir Barkat credited the initiative to Netanyahu’s diplomatic skill, saying the prime minister had persuaded both Trump and regional Arab partners of “the justice of Israel’s path.” He also dismissed any possibility of Palestinian statehood.
Likud lawmaker Avichay Buaron echoed that sentiment, praising the plan’s exclusion of the Palestinian Authority from any future role in governing Gaza, calling it “what absolute victory looks like.”
However, not all voices within the Likud were unreservedly optimistic. MK Tally Gotliv expressed deep skepticism about the likelihood of Hamas releasing the hostages on such a tight timeline.
“Only someone who does not understand the Hamas ethos would believe that Hamas will return all our hostages and agree to the outline,” she warned, while adding, “I hope I am completely wrong this time.”
