Trump Tells Netanyahu to Advance Gaza Plan After Israeli Election, With Reconstruction Tied to Verified Progress on Hamas Disarmament

U.S. President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Thursday that he wants him to take steps to implement his Gaza peace plan, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The call was initiated by Netanyahu and joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. It was described as constructive and also addressed the war in Iran. The White House and Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The plan calls for Hamas to be disarmed, Gaza to be demilitarized and governance to be transferred to a Palestinian technocratic government. The roadmap had been on hold for months because of the October 27 Israeli elections, as the Trump administration sought to avoid political complications during the campaign. With the election over, Trump intends to push ahead regardless of who forms the new government.

Israel and Hamas agreed to the plan’s first phase a year ago, leading to a ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages. Trump’s Board of Peace has since worked on implementation details and reached a 15-point agreement with Hamas last July to disarm and transfer control. Netanyahu’s government has largely resisted implementation, citing domestic political reasons and deep skepticism about Hamas’s willingness to demilitarize.

The day after the call, former British Prime Minister and Board of Peace member Tony Blair visited Israel and met with Netanyahu and opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot, urging political leaders to give the plan a chance. A U.S. official said implementation would be difficult but described the plan as strong for Israel and said it required full cooperation from the Israeli government. Reconstruction, the official added, would proceed only as progress in disarming Hamas is verified.