“Lay Down Your Arms”: The Core Demand in Trump’s Gaza Peace Offer

The central, non-negotiable demand of President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan is simple and profound: Hamas must lay down its arms. This condition of complete disarmament and surrender forms the bedrock of a proposal that offers a path out of a conflict that has killed over 66,000 Palestinians.
President Trump has attached a severe warning to this offer, giving Hamas a 3-4 day ultimatum to comply. He has painted a picture of a world united against the group’s continued militancy, with Israel, all Arab states, and major international players having already signed on to the American framework.
In exchange for this complete capitulation, the plan promises significant benefits. An immediate ceasefire would take hold, followed by the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip. All hostages seized on October 7, 2023, would be returned, while Israel would release hundreds of its Palestinian detainees.
Furthermore, the deal seeks to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. It includes provisions for the immediate delivery of food and medical supplies to a population on the brink of famine, along with a long-term vision for rebuilding the territory’s shattered infrastructure.
Hamas is now in a period of intense deliberation. Accepting the deal means the end of its existence as an armed political force. Rejecting it, as Trump has made clear, would mean facing the full might of the Israeli military with the backing of a united international community.