President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform Sunday morning to hint at a possible diplomatic breakthrough in the Gaza war, posting in his trademark all-caps that the Middle East has “a real chance for GREATNESS.”

The cryptic message comes as the White House intensifies its push behind a 21-point peace framework rolled out at the U.N. General Assembly last week. The plan—crafted by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and borrowing heavily from proposals floated by Jared Kushner and Tony Blair—would combine a phased ceasefire, hostage deal, and Arab-led interim administration in Gaza with a Saudi-backed reconstruction fund.

The proposal:

Hostages: Release of roughly 20 remaining Israeli hostages and the return of bodies in exchange for 100–200 Palestinian prisoners and a phased IDF withdrawal.

Ceasefire: Freeze in battle lines; Hamas disarmament overseen by Arab states and international monitors.

Governance: Gaza run temporarily by an Arab coalition before a handoff to the Palestinian Authority.

Reconstruction: Gulf-funded investment package branded as the “Trump Development Plan.”

Diplomacy: No annexation of the West Bank; dialogue on Palestinian statehood without formal recognition.

The plan has drawn tentative backing from Gulf states. The UAE and Saudi Arabia praised its focus on hostages and reconstruction, with Riyadh underscoring assurances that Gaza would not be reoccupied.

The politics: Netanyahu faces a split cabinet. Far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich threatened to collapse his government if he accepts any deal short of Hamas’s destruction or a PA return to Gaza. Opposition leader Yair Lapid countered that he would provide Netanyahu parliamentary cover for a ceasefire and hostage release, dismissing Ben-Gvir and Smotrich’s threats as “empty.”

Trump will meet Netanyahu at the White House Monday, pressing him to engage. Administration officials describe the next several weeks as “crunch time” for Israel to decide whether to lean into U.S.-backed diplomacy or push ahead militarily.

The risks: Hamas has yet to respond, and on the ground in Gaza, the humanitarian crisis deepens. Israeli operations in Gaza City continue, with civilians pleading for U.S. intervention. Trump’s plan also faces questions of enforcement—particularly on disarmament and governance transitions.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)