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

The European Union has welcomed the 20-point plan laid out by US President Donald Trump to end Israel's war on Gaza and urged Hamas to accept it "without delay".

The proposal includes, among other aspects, the cessation of military operations, the liberation of Israeli hostages, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the disarmament of Hamas, and the unimpeded delivery of emergency aid.

It also foresees the creation of a temporary "Board of Peace", chaired by Trump himself, to oversee Gaza's post-war transition.

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

"President Trump's Gaza plan is an opportunity for lasting peace. It offers the best immediate chance to end the war," High Representative Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday.

"Israel has signed on to the plan. Hamas must now accept it without delay, starting with the immediate release of hostages," she added.

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

The bloc is the biggest donor of foreign assistance for Palestinians, having provided an additional €1.44 billion since the war began in October 2023. Officials in Brussels believe these financial flows make the EU a key actor in any post-war structure.

"A two-state solution remains the only viable path to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East with the Israeli and Palestinian people living side by side, in peace and security, free from violence and terrorism," von der Leyen said.

António Costa, the president of the European Council, also highlighted the urgent need to achieve a two-state solution, describing the situation in the enclave as "intolerable".

Trump's plan envisages that once Gaza has been rebuilt and the Palestinian Authority is reformed, "the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood".

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who joined Trump's presentation on Monday, later said he would "forcibly resist" the prospect of Palestinian statehood, casting doubt on whether the 20 points can be realised in full.

EU remains 'vigilant'

Recent days have seen several EU countries, such as France, Portugal and Luxembourg, recognise the State of Palestine, deepening Israel's international isolation. At the same time, member states are considering the partial suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which still lacks the necessary qualified majority to be approved.

Trump's announcement is likely to influence deliberations in Brussels.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose vote is considered crucial to break the deadlock, said the plan was "the best chance" to end the war since the Hamas attacks of 2023.

"At this crucial time, we are in close contact with the United States, our European neighbours and partners in the region," Merz said.

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

"I expect Israel to engage resolutely on this basis. Hamas has no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan," Macron said.

In a statement, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed Trump's pitch as an "ambitious project for the stabilisation, reconstruction, and development of the Gaza Strip".

Meloni then urged Hamas to accept "no role in the future of Gaza" and give up arms.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has emerged as one of the bloc's most critical voices against Natanyahu's goverment, said the time had come to "put an end to so much suffering".

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

Still, whether the blueprint succeeds in ending the war is far from clear.

During Monday's press conference, Trump said Israel would have the "full backing" of the US to take steps to defeat Hamas if the militant group rejected the proposal.