At the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, attended by the leaders of the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, the so-called ‘Trump Declaration on Sustainable Peace and Prosperity’ was signed. The document formally establishes the ‘Trump plan’ as the basis for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The first practical steps have already been taken: Israeli hostages have been released, active hostilities in the Gaza Strip have ceased, and about two thousand Palestinian prisoners have been freed. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not attend the meeting, citing a religious holiday.
Demilitarisation of Gaza
A key element of the ‘Trump plan’ is the demilitarisation and deradicalisation of the Gaza Strip. Hamas must either disarm or leave the territory and seek refuge in a third country. In practice, the organisation retains control over the territories vacated after the withdrawal of Israeli troops. In recent days, dozens of acts of violence have been recorded within the Strip against Hamas’ political opponents. US leaders, including Donald Trump, are turning a blind eye to this, promising that ‘ultimately’ the group will be disarmed, possibly by force. This is a fundamental gap between the formal declaration and the international community’s actual ability to control the process. In fact, the area free from Israeli control is currently under the exclusive control of Hamas, which makes peace very conditional.
Transitional administration
According to the plan, control of Gaza will be transferred to an apolitical technocratic committee controlled by an international council involving Trump and other world leaders. The practical implementation of this mechanism faces several challenges:
Legitimacy. The Palestinian National Authority has promised to hold parliamentary elections by the end of 2025. Historical experience (the last elections were held in 2006) shows that Hamas has significant electoral potential, and any attempt to limit its participation could lead to internal destabilisation.
Security. The plan implies the possible introduction of international stabilisation forces. However, the composition of the peacekeepers and their powers remain vague. A conflict of interest with Israel could lead to a potentially dangerous situation if the Israeli army acts independently.
Humanitarian management. The reconstruction of the sector is not only about security, but also about providing the population with housing, food and healthcare. Control over humanitarian aid, as before, remains an instrument of power that can be used by various political actors.
The economic ‘miracle’ of Gaza
Trump Plan envisages the creation of the Gaza Recovery and Economic Transformation Fund (GREAT) for the construction of smart cities and IT clusters. Historically, investment in the region has been hampered by political instability and weak security infrastructure. With Hamas still in control and uncertainty surrounding the transitional administration, it is premature to expect a rapid economic miracle. The timing of the programme’s implementation and the specific mechanisms for attracting investment remain unclear. Moreover, without clear integration of the local population and real control over security, the economic strategy risks remaining declarative.
Trump’s plan creates a framework for ending active conflict, but key issues remain unresolved: the legitimacy of the transitional authority, control over Hamas, the security of the population and peacekeepers, and stable economic development.
