US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, speaking at the Concordia Summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly , said Trump’s blueprint addressed both Israeli concerns and the priorities of regional states. “We’re hopeful, and I might say even confident, that in the coming days we’ll be able to announce some sort of breakthrough,” Witkoff said.
“The shameful capitulation of some leaders to Palestinian terror does not obligate Israel in any way. There will be no Palestinian state,” he said, after Australia, Britain, Canada and France recognized Palestine.
Even as diplomatic activity intensified, Israel pressed its offensive in Gaza City, displacing hundreds of thousands. The military said its aim was to “root out Hamas,” the group whose October 2023 attack triggered the war. Gaza’s civil defence agency reported dozens killed in fresh air and ground strikes.
European diplomats told media outlets they had received a readout of Trump’s plan and described it as a genuine attempt to restart the peace process. One official said it could curb Israeli annexation of the West Bank—an action that could otherwise cripple the Trump administration’s stated goal of expanding the Abraham Accords.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has injected urgency into the process, joined follow-up meetings with Arab leaders on Wednesday. “Very important work is ongoing, even as we speak, with regard to a future for Gaza and the Palestinian people,” Rubio said.
A Senior Associate Editor with more than 30 years in the media, Stephen N.R. curates, edits and publishes impactful stories for Gulf News — both in print and online — focusing on Middle East politics, student issues and explainers on global topics. Stephen has spent most of his career in journalism, working behind the scenes — shaping headlines, editing copy and putting together newspaper pages with precision. For the past many years, he has brought that same dedication to the Gulf News digital team, where he curates stories, crafts explainers and helps keep both the web and print editions sharp and engaging.
[SRC] https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/trump-unveils-21-point-plan-to-end-gaza-war-key-points-and-arab-leaders-response-1.500282898
