Trump has been hinting that something big might be in the works just as Netanyahu heads to Washington. He has been telling reporters his plan to end the Gaza war is getting a very good response, and he sounded unusually upbeat about Netanyahu coming on board. He even took to social media to declare that there is a real shot at “greatness in the Middle East,” which is classic Trump-style framing.
The buzz comes after his team rolled out a 21-point plan at the UN last week. It is supposed to stop the fighting, free hostages, ease Israeli pressure on Qatar, and jump-start talks between Israelis and Palestinians. According to Trump, countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar are backing it which, if true, is significant. But we do not know how deep that support really runs.
What makes this more interesting is Netanyahu’s response. He is usually skeptical of these kinds of proposals, but this time he has floated the idea of amnesty for Hamas leaders if certain conditions are met. That is a big shift in tone, even if he is keeping it vague. It feels like he is trying to keep the door open for Trump without alienating his right-wing base back home, which has been pushing for more military action, not compromises.
The roadblocks are obvious. Hamas has not even reviewed the plan yet, and there is no sign they would accept disarmament or any kind of outside oversight. Inside Israel, Netanyahu’s coalition partners are loudly against anything that smells like concessions. And beyond that, no one has laid out a clear vision for what governance in Gaza would look like if fighting stops.
That said, Arab governments seem at least willing to see where this goes, and Western allies are watching carefully. Some welcome the push, others are cautious, waiting to see if it is more than just another round of US promises that fade once the headlines move on.
So going into Netanyahu’s visit, there is this mix of optimism and skepticism. Trump is trying to frame it as a historic chance, while everyone else is hedging. Whether this actually becomes a breakthrough depends less on the photo-ops and more on whether Hamas plays ball which, let us be honest, is a huge question mark.
