JNS
"Hamas has no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan," said French President Emmanuel Macron.
World leaders reacted swiftly and largely positively to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement Monday of a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza war and secure the release of the remaining hostages.
French President Emmanuel Macron was among the first to respond, posting on X: “I welcome President @realDonaldTrump’s commitment to ending the war in Gaza and securing the release of all hostages. I expect Israel to engage resolutely on this basis. Hamas has no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also expressed support, calling the new U.S. initiative“profoundly welcome.”
“We call on all sides to come together and to work with the US Administration to finalize this agreement and bring it into reality. Hamas should now agree to the plan and end the misery by laying down their arms and releasing all remaining hostages,” said Starmer.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz posted in German on X, “I welcome the peace plan for Gaza presented by President Trump. It is the best chance for an end to the war since Oct. 7, 2023. It is good that Israel supports the plan. Now Hamas must agree and clear the way for peace.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed those sentiments, urging all sides to seize the moment.
“Welcome President @realDonaldTrump’s commitment to end the war in Gaza. Encourage all parties to now seize this opportunity. The EU stands ready to contribute. Hostilities should end with [the] provision of immediate humanitarian relief to the population in Gaza and with all hostages released.”
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar and Egypt issued a joint statement lauding Trump’s “sincere efforts” to end the war in Gaza and asserting their "confidence in his ability to find a path to peace.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi framed the plan as a turning point not just for Israelis and Palestinians, but for the region as a whole.
“We welcome President Donald J. Trump’s announcement of a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict. It provides a viable pathway to long-term and sustainable peace, security and development for the Palestinian and Israeli people, as also for the larger West Asian region,” he wrote.
Trump’s 20-point initiative, unveiled this week, includes a phased Israeli withdrawal, the transfer of Gaza to an internationally-backed governing body led by the United States with Arab partners at its core, and the dismantling of Hamas’s control.
According to Israeli sources, the plan hinges on Hamas’s agreement to release all remaining 48 hostages—both living and deceased—within 72 hours. Arab states, particularly Qatar and Egypt, are said to have played a key role in facilitating the American initiative, using a mix of pressure and incentives on Hamas.
After meeting the American president at the White House on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced support for the initiative while emphasizing that any deal must ensure Israel’s security and prevent Hamas from retaining power in Gaza.
Whether Hamas will comply remains an open question, but Netanyahu has vowed that if the terrorist group seeks to stall or sabotage the plan, Israel will “finish the job” militarily.
