Following the breakthrough ceasefire deal in Gaza, US President Donald Trump has stated he holds no personal view on a two-state solution, defining his role as supporting whatever agreement the parties themselves reach. This stance comes as the first phase of his administration's peace plan begins implementation, focusing on a hostage release and the initial withdrawal of Israeli forces.
When asked at a White House cabinet meeting to clarify his position on the possibility of a two-state solution, President Trump deferred to the parties directly involved. “I don't have a view. I'm going to go with what they agreed to,” he told reporters. He added that the goal is to "create something where people can live... We're going to create better conditions for people". This position marks a departure from decades of U.S. foreign policy that explicitly endorsed a two-state solution as the preferred outcome for the conflict.
The immediate ceasefire and hostage release are part of a broader 20-point plan unveiled by President Trump. The agreement, signed in Egypt, initiates a process that includes a prisoner exchange, with the release of the remaining Israeli prisoners held in Gaza, believed to be 20 alive and 28 deceased, in return for Israel releasing 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained after October 7, 2023, an Israeli withdrawal and ceasefire, while Israeli forces began redeploying to an agreed-up line within 24 hours of the deal's approval, with a full ceasefire taking effect immediately afterward. The plan also outlines that Gaza will be governed by a temporary, technocratic Palestinian committee and that Hamas will have no role in its future administration. A temporary International Stabilisation Force (ISF) will deploy to help provide security.
A senior Hamas official, Khalil Al-Hayya, stated the group has received guarantees from U.S. and international mediators that "the war has completely ended" and that the agreement includes a permanent ceasefire.
The news of the deal was met with a mix of relief and cautious optimism in Gaza and the West Bank. After two years of a war that has killed tens of thousands and left much of Gaza in ruins, the prospect of peace offered a glimpse of hope. One 18-year-old Gazan, Sanabel, expressed a weary joy, stating, "You can’t even imagine how delighted we are... I really don’t want to hear the sound of bombs anymore". Celebrations, however, were tempered by profound loss and a wait and see attitude, given the history of failed ceasefires.
While the initial deal is a significant milestone, diplomats caution that the most difficult issues are still on the table. The ceasefire is not yet a final peace deal, and critical questions about the political future of the Palestinians, the complete disarmament of Hamas, and the long-term reconstruction of Gaza remain unresolved. The success of this first phase will heavily depend on the parties' willingness to engage in good faith in the subsequent negotiations to build what President Trump has called a "strong, durable, and everlasting peace".