The war in Gaza has been a catastrophe with few precedents in history. Sixty-five thousand lives lost. Whole strip reduced to rubble. Israel spending over $60 billion while unleashing devastation that will scar its reputation for years.
For Palestinians, the lesson is brutal but clear: violence is not the answer here. For Israelis, the cost of total victory has been staggering. Into this wreckage steps Donald Trump with a 20-point peace plan — bold, controversial, and, if implemented, transformative.
The plan’s sequencing is designed to stop the carnage immediately: “the war will immediately end” (Point 3), “all hostages will be returned” (4), and 250 Palestinian prisoners released (5). This is not just a ceasefire; it is an answer to the ‘day-after’ question of this war. Life is better than death, and this plan offers both sides a chance to stop the bleeding and return to normality — whatever that means after such destruction.
2. Deradicalisation of Gaza
The plan envisions Gaza as a “deradicalised terror-free zone” (1). Hamas members who disarm are offered amnesty (6), while militant infrastructure is dismantled (13). Crucially, point 18 calls for “an interfaith dialogue process, based on values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence.” This isn’t cosmetic.
Pew Research (2013) found 89 percent of Palestinians wanted Sharia as the law of the land, with 84 percent (of those who wanted Sharia) supporting stoning for adultery and 66 percent supporting death for apostasy.
These numbers show the scale of the ideological challenge. Deradicalisation means dismantling the culture of martyrdom and replacing it with civic education that promotes pluralism and tolerance.
3. Governance reset
The plan calls for Gaza to be run by a “temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee” (9), overseen by an international Board of Peace chaired by Trump and including figures such as Tony Blair.
With Hamas dismantled (13) and the Palestinian Authority reforming (19), the alternative is a dangerous vacuum that would invite chaos. To prevent this, Trump’s plan proposes an international stabilisation force (ISF), with Indonesia already offering to contribute 20,000 troops to secure Gaza during the transition.
Blair may be disliked, but his deep regional ties and ability to mobilise Gulf capital and Western donors make him ideal for this role. This governance reset is the bridge between the collapse of Hamas and the emergence of a reformed Palestinian Authority. Without it, the rest of the plan will collapse.
4. A new prosperous Gaza
The plan promises Gaza will be “redeveloped for the benefit of the people” (2), with immediate humanitarian aid (7) and a Trump-led economic development program (10).
A special economic zone with preferential trade access (11) and guarantees of free movement (Point 12) are designed to turn Gaza into a hub of opportunity.
The vision is bold: turning Gaza into the Dubai on the Mediterranean. Billions are already lined up – the 2020 Trump Peace to Prosperity Plan had promised $50 billion over 10 years. The idea was ridiculed – I think we will get it now.
5. Pathway to statehood
The plan explicitly states “Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza” (16), and that “conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” (19).
It also commits the U.S. to “establish a dialogue to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence” (20). I have long argued that the two-state solution is impractical.
Yet if implemented, this plan ticks enough boxes — demilitarisation, governance reform, economic viability — to reimagine a two-state framework.
And paradoxically, that may be a better path toward a durable one-state solution: a single polity where coexistence is not imposed by force but chosen through shared prosperity and mutual security.
Regional buy-in
Critics of this plan abound. They question Israel’s intentions, the plan’s clarity, Tony Blair’s involvement, and the demand for Hamas to disarm.
But these are voices that find fault with every solution. What matters is that the plan has received broad international endorsement.
The joint statement from Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt signals that key Arab and Muslim states are ready to underwrite the framework.
Their role is pivotal: ensuring compliance (14), deploying stabilisation forces (15), and financing reconstruction (10). For Israel, this is an opening to normalise ties with the Arab world – that is, the expansion of the Abraham Accords.
For Palestinians, it’s a chance to rebuild on new foundations. For the region, it’s an opportunity to transform Gaza from a symbol of perpetual war into a model of prosperity.
Hamas’ final role
But for this vision to take root, Hamas must now confront reality. Their October 7 escapade into Israel has proven to be a total disaster. Now they face a final chance to act responsibly: accept the plan and dissolve.
History may yet remember them not only for the destruction it caused, but for the moment they chose to step aside—thus allowing a new Gaza to emerge.Anchored in life, not death.
Charles Makakala is a Technology and Management Consultant based in Dar es Salaam
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