On September 29, Trump unveiled a proposal aimed at “de-radicalizing Gaza,” halting hostilities, rebuilding the enclave, and improving living conditions. Key provisions include an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and temporary governance of Gaza by a technocratic committee of qualified Palestinian and international experts under a transitional “Peace Council” chaired by Trump. Hamas would be required to disarm and would be barred from any role in administration.
“The plan was written with conditions that both the U.S. and Israel know Hamas will never accept. It’s clearly unrealistic. For us, this means the war and the suffering will continue,” said Ibrahim Joudeh, a 39-year-old programmer displaced to the humanitarian zone of Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza. Abu Mazen Nassar, 52, who fled northern Gaza and is now sheltering in Deir el-Balah, was equally pessimistic, fearing the plan is “only meant to trick Hamas into releasing hostages” and offers no real path to peace.
“What’s the point of handing over hostages without any guarantee of ending the war? Gaza’s people won’t accept this charade. Whatever Hamas decides, it’s already too late,” he said.
Others expressed deep despair. “I can’t imagine anything really changing in Gaza. I’ve not only lost faith in any agreement, but also in life itself. If they truly intended to stop the war, they wouldn’t have waited this long,” said Najwa Muslim, 29. Mohammed al-Beltaji, 47, from Gaza City, added: “As always, Israel agrees, Hamas refuses, or the other way around. It’s all just a game, and ordinary people pay the price.”
Yet not all voices were hopeless. Anas Sorour, 31, displaced from Khan Yunis and now in Al-Mawasi, still held onto optimism: “We’ve lost everything, but I believe no conflict lasts forever. This time, I am hopeful, and with God’s mercy, we may finally see a moment of joy that makes us forget our pain.”
The Israel–Hamas war erupted in October 2023 when Hamas fighters launched a deadly attack on Israel that killed over 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages. Of those, 47 remain in captivity, with around 20 believed to be alive. Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign in Gaza aimed at eliminating Hamas. As of September 28, Gaza’s health ministry reported more than 66,000 Palestinians killed and 168,000 wounded, most of them civilians.