Gaza, Trump’s plan divides the international stage

Just hours after Donald Trump announced his plan to end the war in Gaza, the first reactions from governments, Palestinian organizations and international institutions have arrived. A mosaic of positions that once again highlights how complex and tense the issue remains.

In a joint statement, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey welcomed the initiative, declaring themselves ready to “cooperate positively” with Washington to finalize the agreement. The foreign ministers stressed the importance of ending the conflict, rebuilding Gaza, preventing the displacement of the Palestinian population and ensuring that there is no annexation of the West Bank. A significant opening also came from the Palestinian Authority, which described the former U.S. president’s efforts as “sincere and determined” and expressed confidence that the plan could chart a path toward peace.

Far more critical, however, were the Palestinian armed groups. Islamic Jihad labeled the proposal “a recipe for continued aggression against the Palestinian people,” accusing Israel and the United States of trying to impose at the diplomatic table what they had failed to achieve by force. Hamas, for its part, took a more cautious stance: through Qatari and Egyptian mediators it promised to examine the proposal, but senior official Muhammad Mardawi noted that the plan seemed close to Israeli positions and demanded it be delivered “in written and clear form” before any official response. Criticism was also voiced in Israel. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a figure of the radical right, called the plan “a resounding diplomatic failure,” accusing Trump of ignoring the lessons of October 7 and warning that “our children will be forced to fight again in Gaza.”

In Europe, however, the tone was decidedly more favorable. European Council President Antonio Costa urged all parties to “give peace a real chance,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that the EU is ready to support the process. Both stressed the urgency of an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

Von der Leyen also reaffirmed Brussels’ long-standing position: a two-state solution remains, in her view, “the only viable path to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in security.”

Trump’s initiative, welcomed with interest by part of the international community but rejected by others, now stands at the center of a delicate diplomatic process. The next moves by Hamas and Arab governments will be decisive in understanding whether the plan can turn into a real path to peace or whether it will remain yet another attempt destined to clash with the region’s divisions.