Residents of Gaza have cautiously embraced US President Donald Trump's new peace plan, although many are divided over some of its provisions. After almost two years of fierce conflict, many see the proposal as the only viable path to end the bloodshed that has torn their lives apart.
Mr Trump's 20-point plan, unveiled on Monday and backed by many Arab countries, would bring an immediate end to the war. It stipulates that all hostages would be released within 72 hours, while aid would be allowed to enter the strip unhindered.
The proposal also introduces a temporary international stabilisation force to oversee the peace process, along with a committee of local and international technocrats to assume temporary control of Gaza, with the Palestinian Authority gradually taking over.
Despite the plan’s promise of peace, its implications remain deeply unsettling for many Gazans, who see it as a bitter compromise between their desire for calm and the risk of increased foreign influence over their lives.
Ameen Al Ghazi, 45, a father of four currently displaced near Gaza Port, expressed weary optimism about the proposal.
“Trump’s plan, for us in Gaza, is seen as a perfect opportunity to end the war,” he told The National. “Of course, it’s not everything we want, but at least the plan would stop the war and rid us of Hamas’s rule.”
Having seen the Israeli war devastate his community, Mr Al Ghazi believes Hamas is a significant contributor to the crisis in Gaza.
“Hamas is one of the reasons for the catastrophe we are living through,” he said. “Because of its stubbornness and obstinacy, we have reached this point, dying slowly day by day. Hamas and the other factions in Gaza have led us into the mud and into hell. For this reason, they should have no role in governing Gaza.”
Across Gaza, the sentiment towards Hamas’s leadership is one of deep frustration, with many seeing the group’s role as a key factor in prolonging the conflict.
“For two years of war, we have lived through horrors and endless suffering, and unfortunately, we have never found Hamas standing by us in these difficult circumstances,” Mr Al Ghazi said.
“We didn’t even find a Palestinian voice to comfort us. That’s why despair has overtaken us, and we now welcome any plan that stops the war, even if it is originally Israeli, even if it represents defeat and victory for the occupation. Because all we want now is for the war to end, nothing more.”
Amani Islim, 35, a mother of three from Gaza city, now displaced to Deir Al Balah, shares Mr Al Ghazi's longing for peace but voiced caution about Mr Trump’s plan.
“Hamas is the one that brought us to this stage. It was Hamas that kept rejecting proposals until we ended up with this one, which amounts to a new western mandate over Palestinian land,” she said.
“Today, Hamas has no choice and no luxury to reject this proposal, given the catastrophic and extremely difficult conditions the Gaza Strip is experiencing.”
Ms Islim’s words reflect a broader concern among residents: that the plan, while ending the violence, may solidify Israeli control and foreign governance in Gaza.
“The occupation kills and slaughters us daily, and the world pays no real attention to what is happening, other than issuing timid appeals,” she added. “If Hamas rejects Trump’s plan, the world will simply say: here is Hamas again, refusing and obstructing the agreement.”
Despite the harsh reality, Ms Islim recognises that Gazans may have little choice but to accept the plan, however unjust it may seem. “Trump’s plan will bring in a foreign authority to administer the strip, while the Palestinian Authority will only take part after some time. This, in itself, entrenches the occupation’s policy and Israel’s vision. But as I said, we do not have the luxury, nor the time, to reject or manoeuvre.”
The humanitarian toll of the war has led many residents to abandon any idealism. “Today, we live displaced from Gaza city in Deir Al Balah, under extremely harsh conditions,” Ms Islim said. “We know the plan is unjust and unfair, but we have no solution before us other than to accept it. Afterwards, the details can be discussed.”
Musab Al Muqayyad, 29, who has been displaced to Al Mawasi in southern Gaza, said the focus must be on ending the violence, even at the cost of future uncertainty.
“Trump’s plan is unrealistic and cannot be applied from a Palestinian perspective, except for one purpose only: to stop the war and end the bloodshed,” he told The National. Although the plan is deeply flawed, he added, its immediate objective of stopping the bloodshed is crucial.
Mr Al Muqayyad also expressed concerns that the plan will further entrench foreign influence in the enclave. “I believe the American and Israeli plan is to turn Gaza into an American protectorate, with no Palestinian role except under impossible conditions, such as reforming the Palestinian Authority, something we all know Israel could easily sabotage through various means and baseless objections,” he said.
However, having suffered great personal loss during the war, Mr Al Muqayyad highlighted the urgent need for peace. “In this war, I lost my father and my brother, who became martyrs, and we lost our homes in Jabalia camp. Now we are displaced in Al Mawasi. Honestly, neither I nor my family have the strength to bear more losses under this brutal war.”
Foreign control may be the price of peace for Gazans, but for many, the priority remains clear: ending the war. Whether or not Mr Trump’s plan delivers on its promises remains uncertain, but the alternative of continuing the conflict is no longer bearable for its victims.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WHAT FANS WILL LOVE ABOUT RUSSIA
FANS WILL LOVE
Uber is ridiculously cheap and, as Diego Saez discovered, mush safer. A 45-minute taxi from Pulova airport to Saint Petersburg’s Nevsky Prospect can cost as little as 500 roubles (Dh30).
FANS WILL LOATHE
Uber policy in Russia is that they can start the fare as soon as they arrive at the pick-up point — and oftentimes they start it even before arriving, or worse never arrive yet charge you anyway.
FANS WILL LOVE
It’s amazing how active Russians are on social media and your accounts will surge should you post while in the country. Throw in a few Cyrillic hashtags and watch your account numbers rocket.
FANS WILL LOATHE
With cold soups, bland dumplings and dried fish, Russian cuisine is not to everybody’s tastebuds. Fortunately, there are plenty Georgian restaurants to choose from, which are both excellent and economical.
FANS WILL LOVE
The World Cup will take place during St Petersburg's White Nights Festival, which means perpetual daylight in a city that genuinely never sleeps. (Think toddlers walking the streets with their grandmothers at 4am.)
FANS WILL LOATHE
The walk from Krestovsky Ostrov metro station to Saint Petersburg Arena on a rainy day makes you wonder why some of the $1.7 billion was not spent on a weather-protected walkway.
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
A Dog's Journey
Directed by: Gail Mancuso
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott
3 out of 5 stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Switch%20Foods%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Edward%20Hamod%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Plant-based%20meat%20production%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2034%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%246.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20round%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Based%20in%20US%20and%20across%20Middle%20East%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Paltan
Producer: JP Films, Zee Studios
Director: JP Dutta
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood, Arjun Rampal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Luv Sinha and Harshvardhan Rane
Rating: 2/5
Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
RESULTS
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jordan Sport, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Jungle Cat, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Kimbear, Patrick Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: North America, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner: Hawkbill, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
