President Donald Trump said Saturday that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his Gaza peace proposal represents Israel’s “chance for victory” — adding pointedly, “He has no choice.”
The statement highlights both the favorable terms Israel has received under Trump’s proposed peace plan and the strong influence the U.S. president has exercised over Netanyahu throughout the conflict.
Speaking to Axios, President Trump said: “I said, ‘Bibi, this is your chance for victory.’ He was fine with it. He’s got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you got to be fine.” Trump added that his team had warned him Netanyahu might express reservations, but the Israeli leader ultimately agreed to move forward.
Trump said there was broad international backing for the plan. “We had great receptivity for our plan — every country of the world in favor. Bibi is in favor. Hamas went a long way — they want to do it. Now we will need to close it,” he explained.
The peace deal meets Israel’s key demands, including the release of all remaining hostages, the disarmament of Hamas, and the removal of Hamas from power. In exchange, Israel would withdraw from much of Gaza, while the Palestinian Authority would be tasked with implementing sweeping reforms before gaining recognition as a state.
While Hamas has signaled a willingness to move forward, it has not agreed to full disarmament. Reports indicate that Israel may have accepted limited concessions under both American pressure and domestic demand for the hostages’ release.
Prime Minister Netanyahu told Israelis Saturday that the first hostages could be released within days, coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Sukkot — the same period that preceded Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
Trump’s peace initiative is being viewed as a rare effort capable of bridging pro-Israel and Muslim voter priorities — victory and peace, respectively — as he positions himself as the strongest broker in Middle East diplomacy since his historic Abraham Accords.
