Israel’s failed try and assassinate Hamas leaders in Qatar final month sparked the diplomatic push that result in the formulation of US President Donald Trump’s newly proposed Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, in keeping with a Wednesday report citing US and Israeli sources.
According to Axios, the unprecedented strike in Doha on September 9, which focused a number of prime Hamas leaders at their places of work within the rich Gulf nation’s capital, led to a wave of concern amongst Arab leaders towards Israel and renewed calls to discover a diplomatic finish to the battle in Gaza.
“The Arabs have been talking with one voice,” the report quoted a Trump adviser as saying, noting that the backlash towards Israel offered “a rallying cry that appeared damaging at first” however might be “become one thing constructive.”
On the time, Trump’s advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have been already holding discussions with Israeli officers, together with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a few post-war imaginative and prescient for Gaza, the report mentioned. Once they realized concerning the Israeli strike, the 2 have been livid, it added.
Recognizing the diplomatic alternative, Witkoff and Kushner bought Trump’s approval to start crafting a broader peace plan, the outlet added, constructing on the US ceasefire proposal and a post-war framework Kushner had already labored on with former UK prime minister Tony Blair. This advanced into the present 20-point plan not too long ago accredited by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which Hamas has yet to respond to.
“The failed Doha assault modified the regional dynamics and opened the door for an actual dialogue about the way to finish the battle in Gaza,” a US official was reported to say.
Injury is seen after an Israeli strike focused a part of a constructing that hosted Hamas’s leaders in Doha, Qatar, September 10, 2025. (AP/Jon Gambrell)
On the sidelines of final week’s UN Common Meeting, Qatar proposed a summit in New York between Trump and leaders from eight Arab and Muslim international locations, throughout which the regional leaders bashed Israel for its strikes in Doha and for the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
On the assembly, Trump and Witkoff offered their newly formulated plan to finish the battle, which obtained “constructive reactions within the room,” in keeping with Axios. By the following night, the US and Arab leaders had reached a preliminary settlement, and the plan was forwarded to the Israelis.
As soon as these regional international locations backed the deal, Trump turned to strain Israel and after preliminary pushback from Netanyahu, the US president reportedly informed the Israeli premier to “Take it or depart it.”
Arab leaders attend a multilateral assembly with US President Donald Trump to debate the state of affairs in Gaza, on the sidelines of the United Nations Common Meeting in New York Metropolis on September 23, 2025. (Reuters)
“And depart it means we stroll away from you,” Trump mentioned, in keeping with a supply, who added: “Donald Trump has had sufficient, for a lot of causes.”
“For those who settle for this plan and Hamas rejects it, I offers you full backing to proceed combating them,” Trump assured Netanyahu, and inside days, Netanyahu was publicly on board.
“Netanyahu knew what he needed to do,” a supply informed Axios. “Give him credit score: when he realized he needed to do it, he did it.”
In line with the report, Trump informed Netanyahu that he was searching for a “clear sure” to the proposal, not a “sure, however.”
Trump additionally demanded that Netanyahu personally apologize to his Qatari counterpart, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, for violating Qatar’s sovereignty. Netanyahu acquiesced, and Trump organized a telephone name between the 2 Mideast leaders whereas the Israeli premier was within the Oval Workplace.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) take part in a press convention within the State Eating Room of the White Home in Washington, DC on September 29, 2025. (Jim WATSON / AFP)
Netanyahu agreed to Trump’s proposal with a number of amendments, the report added, together with over the phrases of the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza. This infuriated the Arab leaders, who demanded a delay in public bulletins concerning the plan pending accredited modifications.
“[Netanyahu] informed Trump… he received’t simply withdraw and let Hamas reconstitute,” mentioned an Israeli official. Trump agreed.
Regardless of Arab frustration and Qatari advising to delay the plan’s launch, Trump went forward with publishing it on Monday.
The following day, Trump said he expects a response from Hamas inside “three or 4 days.” Whereas some Arab officers welcomed the announcement, they emphasised the deal continues to be underneath negotiation.
“Tweaks” should still occur, a US official mentioned, however Trump received’t renegotiate the total plan to fulfill the calls for of both Israel or Hamas.
Now that Israel has agreed, at the very least publicly, to the plan, the US is now counting on Qatar, Egypt and Turkey to bring Hamas on board.
“If Hamas walks away, they are going to be unfunded and on an island… So fingers crossed for Hamas,” a US official informed Axios.
