EU leaders welcome Trump's Gaza plan, urge Hamas to accept it 'without delay'

The European Union has welcomed the 20-point program laid retired by US President Donald Trump to extremity Israel's warfare connected Gaza and urged Hamas to judge it "without delay".

The proposal includes, among different aspects, the cessation of subject operations, the liberation of Israeli hostages, the merchandise of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the disarmament of Hamas, and the unimpeded transportation of exigency aid.

It besides foresees the instauration of a impermanent "Board of Peace", chaired by Trump himself, to oversee Gaza's post-war transition.

Israel has signed up to the program portion Hamas says it is reviewing it. The Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs the occupied West Bank, has besides expressed support.

"President Trump's Gaza program is an accidental for lasting peace. It offers the champion contiguous accidental to extremity the war," High Representative Kaja Kallas said connected Tuesday.

"Israel has signed connected to the plan. Hamas indispensable present judge it without delay, starting with the contiguous merchandise of hostages," she added.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, echoed the message, noting the EU "stands acceptable to contribute" to the proposal's success.

The bloc is the biggest donor of overseas assistance for Palestinians, having provided an further €1.44 cardinal since the warfare began successful October 2023. Officials successful Brussels judge these fiscal flows marque the EU a cardinal histrion successful immoderate post-war structure.

"A two-state solution remains the lone viable way to a conscionable and lasting bid successful the Middle East with the Israeli and Palestinian radical surviving broadside by side, successful bid and security, escaped from unit and terrorism," von der Leyen said.

António Costa, the president of the European Council, besides highlighted the urgent request to execute a two-state solution, describing the concern successful the enclave arsenic "intolerable".

Trump's program envisages that erstwhile Gaza has been rebuilt and the Palestinian Authority is reformed, "the conditions whitethorn yet beryllium successful spot for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood".

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who joined Trump's presumption connected Monday, aboriginal said helium would "forcibly resist" the imaginable of Palestinian statehood, casting uncertainty connected whether the 20 points tin beryllium realised successful full.

EU remains 'vigilant'

Recent days person seen respective EU countries, specified arsenic France, Portugal and Luxembourg, recognise the State of Palestine, deepening Israel's planetary isolation. At the aforesaid time, subordinate states are considering the partial suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which still lacks the indispensable qualified bulk to beryllium approved.

Trump's announcement is apt to power deliberations successful Brussels.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose ballot is considered important to interruption the deadlock, said the program was "the champion chance" to extremity the warfare since the Hamas attacks of 2023.

"At this important time, we are successful adjacent interaction with the United States, our European neighbours and partners successful the region," Merz said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said his state would "remain vigilant regarding the commitments of each party".

"I expect Israel to prosecute resolutely connected this basis. Hamas has nary prime but to instantly merchandise each hostages and travel this plan," Macron said.

In a statement, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed Trump's transportation arsenic an "ambitious task for the stabilisation, reconstruction, and improvement of the Gaza Strip".

Meloni past urged Hamas to judge "no relation successful the aboriginal of Gaza" and springiness up arms.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has emerged arsenic 1 of the bloc's astir captious voices against Natanyahu's goverment, said the clip had travel to "put an extremity to truthful overmuch suffering".

Sweden's Ulf Kristersson, Romania's Nicușor Dan, Austria's Christian Stocker, Portugal's Luís Montenegro and the Netherlands' Dick Schoof published akin reactions to the plan, calling for its swift implementation and advancement towards a two-state solution.

Still, whether the blueprint succeeds successful ending the warfare is acold from clear.

During Monday's property conference, Trump said Israel would person the "full backing" of the US to instrumentality steps to decision Hamas if the militant radical rejected the proposal.