The Guardian view on the failed Gaza peace plan: Trump’s hollow claims are ignored in Jerusalem | Editorial

What Happened

At the end of July, US President Donald Trump announced a 'monumental' deal for Gaza involving the phased disarmament of Hamas in parallel with an Israeli military withdrawal, brokered by the US-backed Board of Peace. Within days, Israeli airstrikes killed another 18 Palestinians, and by yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explicitly rejected the sequencing of the Board's 15‑point plan. He insisted on complete Hamas disarmament before any Israeli withdrawal and dismissed 'rumours of Israeli withdrawals on all fronts'. Netanyahu stated Israel would 'stand our ground, even against our best friends when necessary'. Since last October's ceasefire agreement, close to 1,300 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air assaults, the Israeli military has expanded its control to roughly 65% of the territory, and reconstruction has been blocked. The Board of Peace's first building contract has been for an outpost to host foreign troops, while the population faces severe shortages of medical aid and schooling.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The collapse of the announced plan underscores the gap between US diplomatic rhetoric and on‑the‑ground realities, with Netanyahu exploiting Trump's backing to pursue expanded military control. It signals intensifying US‑Israel friction at a critical juncture, as both leaders face domestic political pressures—Netanyahu's corruption trial and far‑right dependency, and Trump's waning pro‑Israel sentiment ahead of midterm elections—that could reshape the conflict's trajectory.

Watch For

Upcoming Israeli elections, where Netanyahu's loss could expose him to jail on corruption charges; any White House decision to use leverage, such as aid conditions, to compel Israeli compliance; the Board of Peace's next steps after failed reassurances; and whether US midterm dynamics shift Trump's calculations on pressuring Israel versus maintaining hardline support.