"The 20-point "Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict" that President Trump presented yesterday
contained significant changes requested by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, infuriating Arab officials involved in the negotiations,sources familiar with the process tell Axios' Barak Ravid.
Why it matters: Trump presented the situation as straightforward. He said Israel, the U.S. and its Arab partners were all aligned on a final plan, and Hamas must agree or face annihilation. The behind-the-scenes reality is murkier and the negotiations could just be beginning.
Split screen: While Trump and Netanyahu were discussing the plan on camera at the White House, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was presenting it to Hamas leaders in Doha, a source with knowledge said.
The source said Hamas leaders told Al Thani they'll study the proposal in good faith.
U.S. officials say they hope to get Hamas' response before the end of the week, though Trump didn't present a firm deadline.
The intrigue:
The deal now before Hamas is significantly different than the one the U.S. and a group of Arab and Muslim countries had previously agreed on.
Netanyahu managed to negotiate several edits into the text, in particular on the conditions and timetable for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza,during a marathon meeting on Sunday with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Officials from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey were furious over the changes, the sources said.
Witkoff told Fox News that the Trump plan has widespread backing in the Middle East and Europe: "We have a lot of buy-in. Do we have some details to work out? Yes. But you know President Trump ... Everyone is going to be pushed by him."
Axios
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