Middle East Focus After Two Years of War in Gaza, Can Trump’s Plan Deliver Peace?
Oct 9, 2025
Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen, a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute and expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, dives into the nuances of Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza. She explores its acceptance by both Israel and Hamas and the factors influencing its reception. Lucy discusses the plan's vagueness on Palestinian statehood and its implications for U.S. policy. The conversation highlights the complexities of disarmament, the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority, and the essential role of sustained international engagement for success.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Plan Is A Broad Framework Not A Blueprint
- The Trump plan is a broad 20-point framework prioritizing hostage release, ceasefire, transitional governance, Hamas disarmament, and an international board.
- It leaves many specifics and timelines undefined, requiring heavy follow-up diplomacy and implementation design.
Qualified Yeses, Lots Of Detail Left
- Both Israel and Hamas gave qualified acceptances to the plan, but each side's buy-in is conditional and culturally cautious.
- Those qualified approvals triggered indirect talks in Egypt but left many technical details unresolved.
Regional Pressure Drove Renewed U.S. Mediation
- Regional and European proposals pressured the U.S. to reengage after perceived U.S. inaction and an Israeli assassination attempt escalated regional fears.
- That convergence of actors created momentum for a U.S.-led, multilateral coordination role to relaunch talks.