Trump says Hamas has ‘three or four days’ to respond to Gaza peace plan: Live updates – UK Times

The word “messianic” has been applied to Tony Blair, even by people who like him and who have worked with him. It is probably not the best term, with its biblical connotations, to describe his role in Israel-Palestine. But it accurately conveys his belief that he has exceptional gifts in bringing together the apparently irreconcilable.

His self-confidence is not unjustified. Within a year of becoming prime minister he had negotiated a settlement in Northern Ireland. If this gave him a high opinion of his ability to bridge ancient hatreds, who could blame him?

He went on, a year later, to mobilise the divided Nato alliance, including a reluctant Bill Clinton, to force Slobodan Milosevic, the Serbian dictator, to abandon his attempt to drive the Kosovo Albanian population out of their homeland.

Chief political commentator John Rentoul writes:

“We are waiting for Hamas to respond positively,” US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday after outlining his and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans for a Gaza peace deal.

“If they reject the offer, Israel will do what it needs to do. There is not much room for negotiation with Hamas.”

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that she welcomed US president Donald Trump’s peace proposal to end the nearly two-year-old war in Gaza.

“Welcome President @realDonaldTrump’s commitment to end the war in Gaza. Encourage all parties to now seize this opportunity. The EU stands ready to contribute,” she wrote on X.

“Hostilities should end with provision of immediate humanitarian relief to the population in Gaza and with all hostages released immediately,” she added.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will “forcibly resist” Palestinian statehood, despite Trump’s 20-point plan including it as one of the final steps.

The plan says that once a number of reforms have been carried out, there may be a “credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people”.

But in a video posted on Telegram, Netanyahu was asked whether he had “agreed to a Palestinian state”.

“No, absolutely not” was the Israeli prime minister’s response.

The death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to more than 66,000 since 7 October 2023, the Palestinian health ministry aid on Telegram.

In the past 24 hours, 42 have been killed and 190 injured, with many victims believed to be remaining under the rubble.

According to Palestinian news agency Wafa, another child died due to malnutrition and famine on Tuesday morning, bringing the starvation-related death toll to 453, including 150 children.

Discussions within Hamas over the US plan for peace in Gaza could take “several days” due to the complexities of communicating between the groups, AFP news agency is reporting.

“Hamas has begun a series of consultations within its political and military leaderships, both inside Palestine and abroad,” a Palestinian source close to Hamas told AFP.

“The discussions could take several days due to the complexities of communication among leadership members and movements, especially after the Israeli aggression in Doha.”

The UN has said it is ready to step up aid deliveries into Gaza whenever possible.

Deliveries by UN agencies and its partners have been largely limited in recent months as Israel has allowed a separate organization — the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — to ferry in aid.

Trump’s plan says that aid entries will proceed “without interference” by Israel or Hamas “through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent” in addition to other international institutions “not associated in any manner with either party”.

Alessandra Vellucci, a UN Geneva spokesperson, said the world body is in contact “with the various parties about the peace efforts … we welcome all the mediation.”

Jens Laerke, a spokesman for UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said the UN stands “ready and prepared and capable to increase aid deliveries inside Gaza, whenever the opportunity is such that we are allowed to do so and the … safety and security of doing so is there indeed”.

Wes Streeting has admitted that Sir Tony Blair’s proposed role in the body that would oversee a transitional authority governing Gaza under a new peace intiative will “raise eyebrows to say the least”, amid calls for MPs to have the chance to scrutinise the appointment.

Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point peace plan on Monday, which has been accepted by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is being considered by Hamas. The US president said Sir Tony would be among the international leaders who would constitute a “Board of Peace” to oversee a transitional governing committee for Gaza.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump both made clear in yesterday’s press conference that Hamas has no choice in whether to respond.

“Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas,” Trump said, referring to if Hamas rejected the plan.

“But I hope that we’re going to have a deal for peace, and if Hamas rejects the deal … Bibi, you’d have our full backing to do what you would have to do.”

Mr Netanyahu added:“If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr President, or if they supposedly accept it and then do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself. This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done.”

Donald Trump announced on Monday that a Gaza peace deal was “beyond very close”, presenting a 20-point plan to end the war as Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu backed the plan.

Under the proposal, Israel would ultimately withdraw and Gaza would be governed by a transitional government responsible for the day-to-day running of public services, overseen by an international body called the “Board of Peace”.

Ultimately, the proposals suggests, the interim government could be replaced by a reformed Palestinian Authority, though questions around a future Palestinian State remain unanswered.

James Clark Reynolds reports: