A New Peace Plan For Gaza Leaves Some Hopeful, Some Skeptical, and Most Holding Their Breath
NEED TO KNOW
A New Peace Plan For Gaza Leaves Some Hopeful, Some Skeptical, and Most Holding Their Breath
ISRAEL / WEST BANK & GAZA
The scene at the White House on Sept. 29 had all the trappings of a diplomatic breakthrough: US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood together, triumphantly unveiling a new and sweeping 20-point plan to end nearly two years of war in Gaza.
But beyond the accolades for the new plan from world leaders about “a new day” lies a far messier reality, say analysts, one where political survival, internal divisions, and deep mistrust threaten to unravel the entire framework of a possible peace before it can even begin to be implemented.
“…Trump’s peace plan for Gaza gets the basics mostly right,” wrote the European Council for Foreign Relations. “But gaps in timing, guarantees, and last-minute Israeli amendments risk failure…”
The problem is, while the plan is detailed, it’s vague about what really matters, it added.
The new plan requires the release of all remaining hostages – Israeli officials believe maybe 20 are still alive among the 48 remaining – within 72 hours of the plan’s implementation. In exchange, Israel would free almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas would be required to disarm completely, and governance of Gaza would shift to an interim technocratic Palestinian administration overseen by a “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump, with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair playing a central operational role.
The plan dictates the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces, replaced by the International Stabilization Force, made up of officers from Arab countries and others. It also requires aid to be surged in, followed by economic and infrastructure redevelopment.
But what makes this moment different from previous failed attempts to implement peace isn’t the plan itself – it’s the pressure Trump has applied to force Netanyahu and Hamas to agree, say analysts. Attempts by US officials to bring both sides together to make a deal produced little for months. Trump’s patience finally ran out.
Still, Netanyahu managed to insert some crucial changes into the plan at the last minute that may doom it, because it “makes it very difficult for Hamas to accept,” Israeli journalist Anshel Pfeffer told CNN, adding that those changes tilt the plan heavily in Israel’s favor.
For example, that all hostages must be released immediately means “Hamas gives up all its bargaining chips right at the start,” Pfeffer said. Additionally, “Israeli withdrawal from Gaza is gradual, without a clear timetable. And in the last stage of the plan, Israel still remains inside parts of Gaza, along the perimeter and the border with Egypt. For Hamas, that’s a huge issue.”
In Gaza, the reaction to the plan was skeptical. Ismail al-Thawabta, director general of Gaza’s Government Media Office, rejected the proposal outright, writing that “what is called Trump’s plan to stop the war in Gaza does not represent a real, objective or fair solution. Rather, it is an attempt to impose a new guardianship that legitimizes the Israeli occupation and strips our Palestinian people of their national, political, and human rights.”
Still, on Friday, Hamas agreed to the deal but set conditions that could delay it: It said it would release the hostages but demanded a firmer commitment from Israel to withdraw from Gaza and refused to rule out its role in a future unified Palestinian state, which is mentioned in the plan but only vaguely.
Meanwhile, inside Hamas itself, a dangerous split has emerged that could undermine the plan: The BBC reported that the group’s military commander in Gaza, Izz al-Din Haddad, believes the deal was designed to end Hamas regardless of whether the group accepts it, and is therefore prepared to keep fighting Israel. As a result, Hamas’ political leadership abroad may agree to the plan even as its military commanders in Gaza continue to fight.
At the same time, in Israel, Netanyahu faces his own precarious balancing act between his governing coalition, which wants the war to continue, and the majority of the Israeli public, which wants it to end.
Far-right Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir have strongly criticized the plan, with the former saying he will never accept it: Both want Israel to annex Gaza and populate it with Israeli settlers. If either pulls support, Netanyahu’s government collapses.
“My guess is that he’ll try and kill it softly,” Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat to the US, told Al Jazeera, referring to Netanyahu. “He’ll say we’re studying it carefully, that we have some slight security concerns and a few items to sort out. At the same time, he’ll escalate the war on Gaza…In a few weeks, the reality will have changed, the plan will no longer apply and, he hopes, Trump’s attention will have already moved on.”
On Monday, negotiations are set to begin over the plan in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with officials from the US, Israel, and Hamas. Some say they are remaining hopeful.
“Peace deals are often a mirage in this region,” wrote commentator David Igniatus in the Washington Post. “Donald Trump first talked about Israeli-Palestinian peace as ‘the deal of the century’…in 2016. That peace is still a long way off, but Trump laid a strong foundation for it with his plan …a real framework…(that could open) a door to something different.”
THE WORLD, BRIEFLY
Japan Set To Have Its First Female Leader
JAPAN
Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) over the weekend elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, making the conservative politician the first woman to lead the party and the frontrunner in the race to become Japan’s first female prime minister, the Associated Press reported.
Takaichi defeated Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a party runoff vote on Saturday, after none of the five candidates secured a majority in the first round of voting.
Her election followed weeks of campaigning within the LDP, which remains Japan’s largest political force despite recent election losses that saw it lose control of both houses of parliament.
A parliamentary vote to formally confirm the new prime minister is scheduled for Oct. 15.
She will replace Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who stepped down amid party pressure following the election losses. Ishiba said he hopes the LDP will “band together under new leadership to serve the country and the people.”
A protégé of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi has long been known for her hawkish views on China and strong support for expanding Japan’s defense capabilities. She is a regular visitor to the Yasukuni Shrine, seen by many in Asia as a symbol of Japan’s aggression in World War II.
She has pledged to prioritize controlling inflation, bolstering national security, and strengthening the Japan-US alliance. A meeting with US President Donald Trump is reportedly being planned for late October, shortly after a parliamentary confirmation vote.
Her victory comes at a difficult moment for the LDP, which has been rocked by corruption scandals, discontent over economic stagnation, and rising concerns about immigration.
During July’s lower house parliamentary vote, Japan’s far-right Sanseito party gained support by calling immigration a “silent invasion.”
Both Takaichi and Koizumi took harder stances on the issue during campaigning, in an effort to bring back conservative voters who voted for Sanseito, Al Jazeera noted.
Takaichi will also face the challenge of forming an effective coalition with centrist allies such as Komeito and possibly opposition parties to pass legislation.
Meanwhile, her election was met with mixed fanfare: Observers hailed her appointment as historic in a country that has ranked poorly in gender equality. Others, however, cautioned that Takaichi “has no interest in women’s rights or gender equality policies,” noting that her leadership may not significantly advance women’s empowerment or diversity in government.
Georgian Government Launches Crackdown After Opposition-Led Demonstrations
GEORGIA
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the European Union of meddling in his country’s internal affairs after riot police used pepper spray and water cannons to disperse thousands of demonstrators who attempted to storm the presidential palace in the capital during local elections, the Guardian reported Sunday.
Unrest erupted Saturday in Tbilisi as the ruling Georgian Dream party declared victory in every municipality across the country in a vote boycotted by the two largest opposition blocs.
Opposition leaders accused Georgian Dream – in power since 2012 – of authoritarianism and electoral fraud, urging supporters to stage what they called a “peaceful revolution.”
Police detained at least five protesters, including opera singer and activist Paata Burchuladze and two members of the opposition party, the United National Movement.
The Health Ministry said 21 police officers and six demonstrators were injured in the clashes, which took place near the presidential palace and in central Tbilisi.
Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said those arrested were charged with calling for the government’s overthrow, which carries a penalty of up to nine years in prison, according to Reuters.
Kobakhidze called the unrest an “attempt to overthrow the constitutional order” and accused EU ambassador Paweł Herczyński of supporting the protests. The EU’s diplomatic service has previously dismissed such claims as “disinformation and baseless.”
The former Soviet republic has been grappling with demonstrations since last year’s disputed parliamentary vote that the opposition claims was marred by fraud.
The ruling Georgian Dream has denied the allegations, but has since curbed independent media and civil society, drawing comparisons to Kremlin-style repression.
The South Caucasus nation remains staunchly pro-West and has been in talks to join the EU – the country’s aim of joining the bloc is written in the constitution.
But under Georgian Dream, the country has come under scrutiny over democratic backsliding and pro-Russian leanings. Relations with Europe soured since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the ruling Georgian Dream froze ascension talks soon after the 2024 elections.
Despite the tensions, Kobakhidze vowed to continue “preserving peace with Russia” while maintaining Georgia’s stated goal of joining the EU.
Woman Becomes First Archbishop to Lead Church of England
UNITED KINGDOM
Bishop of London Sarah Mullally became the first woman to serve as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior clerical position in the Church of England and spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, marking a historic moment for a church that only began ordaining female bishops more than a decade ago, NBC News reported.
On Friday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that King Charles III had approved Mullally’s nomination, calling her appointment “a key moment in our national life.”
She will become the 106th Archbishop since St. Augustine of Canterbury’s arrival in England in 597 CE, and the first female to hold that position since women were allowed to become bishops in 2014.
She will be installed in a service at Canterbury Cathedral in March 2026.
Mullally, 63, was first ordained in 2001 after a successful nursing career that saw her become England’s youngest chief nursing officer at 37. In 2018, she became the first female Bishop of London.
In a statement, she said she would approach her new role “in the same spirit of service to God and to others” that had guided her through her career.
Her nomination comes 11 months after her predecessor, Justin Welby, resigned last year following criticism over his handling of sexual abuse cases. It also comes at a turbulent time for the Anglican Communion, which counts about 85 million members across 165 countries.
The church remains divided over issues such as same-sex relationships and the ordination of women, with some church leaders and groups opposing Mullally’s appointment, the BBC added.
The conservative Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Gafcon) – which represents a number of African and Asian churches – said it received the news “with sorrow,” saying that “the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy.”
However, the Church of Southern Africa called the nomination “historic.” Bishop Emily Onyango – the first female bishop in the Anglican Church of Kenya – described it as “a new dawn,” adding that Mullally’s humility and openness would help “work for peace and reconciliation.”
In her first public address, Mullally urged unity within the church, saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone – if you want to go far, go together.”
DISCOVERIES
Counting the Odds
Magpies are proving to be more than just noisy backyard regulars – they can actually count their rivals.
New research from the University of Western Australia has shown that these clever birds can distinguish the number of intruders arriving nearby, a skill that could mean the difference between standing their ground or retreating.
“Being able to distinguish how many intruders may be nearby is an important skill for animals, which then need to assess whether they could win if it came down to a fight,” said lead author Grace Blackburn in a statement.
The study looked into whether the birds’ knack for food-based quantity discrimination carried over into social situations.
In earlier experiments, magpies could reliably tell the difference between two and three, two and four, and even two and five pieces of cheese. This time, researchers played recordings of one, two, or three magpies calling out and measured how the birds reacted.
The results showed that magpies grew noticeably more vigilant – standing upright and scanning their surroundings – when more callers were present.
“It was really exciting to see that they can tell if the song is of one individual versus two or three, which is very important for them when it comes to intergroup competition,” Blackburn said.
But the twist came when researchers compared how individuals performed across both tasks. They expected magpies that are good at spotting food quantities to also excel at judging threat levels. Instead, they found the opposite.
“Those who performed better on the food task spent less time vigilant following the three-caller playback than magpies that weren’t as good at identifying larger quantities of food,” Blackburn explained.
Why this negative correlation exists remains unclear.
The team suggests that sharper magpies may simply assess threats more quickly, or that more vigilant birds might carry higher stress levels from past conflicts, which could affect their food task performance.
“More research is required to understand the negative relationship we observed, but the fact there is any link between performance on the tasks is significant,” said Blackburn.