US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Washington's peace plan for Gaza would involve the drawing up of a timeline for Israeli forces to withdraw from the Palestinian enclave in phases.
"Working with the new transitional authority in Gaza, all parties will agree on a timeline for Israeli forces to withdraw in phases," Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to a new body that would govern the Palestinian territory.
President Trump thanked the Israeli leader for agreeing to a peace plan that would end the war in Gaza and said he himself was hopeful Hamas would accept it as well.
"I also want to thank Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu for agreeing to the plan and for trusting that if we work together, we can bring an end to the death and destruction that we've seen for so many years," Trump said at a press conference with Netanyahu.
"I hope that we're going to have a deal for peace, and if Hamas rejects the deal, which is always possible, they're the only one left, everyone else has accepted it, but I have a feeling that we're going to have a positive answer."
President Trump also said Israel would have his "full backing" to destroy Hamas if the armed Palestinian group rejected a 20-point peace proposal put forward by Washington.
"Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas but I hope that we're going to have a deal for peace and if Hamas rejects the deal, which is always possible, they're the only one left. Everyone else has accepted it but I have a feeling that we're going to have a positive answer," Trump said, speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.
President Trump also said that Washington was "very close" to securing peace in the Gaza war, after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and releasing a 20-point peace plan.
"Things that have been going on for hundreds of years and thousands of years we're going to, at least we're at a minimum very, very close and I think we're beyond very close and I want to thank Bibi for really getting in there and doing a job," he told reporters, referring to Netanyahu by a nickname.