'Blueprint for permanent occupation': Outrage online over Trump's plan to end Gaza war

Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end Israel's genocide in Gaza has been met with a storm of outrage online, where many accused the US president of dressing up a plan that could see Israel's permanent occupation of the Palestinian enclave as "peace".

Trump announced the proposal at the White House on Monday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

The plan, released in full shortly before the press conference, aims to halt Israel's military campaign if Hamas agrees to its conditions. 

Declaring that Netanyahu had accepted the proposal, Trump added that the deal now hinged on approval from Hamas.

"This is one of the greatest days in civilisation," he told reporters at a press conference. He added that the plan had won the support of Arab and Muslim leaders and European allies, and insisted it was a "historic first".

But outside the walls of the White House, the reaction was far less celebratory.

"It has never been a plan to end the Israeli genocide in Gaza, but a dirty trick to reinforce Israeli occupation with an international cover that would give Netanyahu more support and power to complete annihilation of Gaza if the Palestinians rejected it," posted Motasem Dalloul, a Palestinian journalist in Gaza, on X. 

"This plan is designed to corner Hamas politically and militarily," posted another user. "It also leaves wide discretion for Israel to claim violations and resume military operations, turning any breach, real or manufactured, into justification for continuing the war under an internationally sanctioned cover."

Trump's idea of creating an international "Board of Peace" with himself at the helm drew particular scorn, with many labelling it a plan of "colonialism".  

"The 'peace plan' - in reality, an ultimatum - means Gaza will be taken over as a Western colony led by Donald Trump," wrote British columnist Owen Jones.

"Under international law, self-determination from colonial domination is a right of immediate realisation," said human rights scholar Alonso Gurmendi. "Colonised peoples have a right to freedom, not to a different coloniser."

In Hebrew, Netanyahu gave away the game:

The “Gaza Peace Initiative” was another deceptive ruse to paint Hamas as rejectionists

Israel has no intention of withdrawing troops from Gaza, and will not implement any part of the plan in good faith pic.twitter.com/trxMsurbJO

— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) September 30, 2025

Other posts accused Netanyahu of bad faith, noting that shortly after the meeting, he announced that Israel would not withdraw from Gaza.

Netanyahu flew to the US to accept Trump's "peace plan." He didn't bother to wait until leaving the US to tell an Israeli audience that he has no intention of withdrawing from the Gaza Strip, confirming the plan to be a complete ruse: https://t.co/b592nsuzZg

— Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) September 30, 2025

Others directly accused him of hypocrisy: "Netanyahu reveals his own bluff. He is literally saying that Israel will not withdraw from Gaza."

Many pointed to what they saw as the plan's deeper flaws.

Critics said it envisioned the "de-radicalisation" of Palestinians but not Israelis, only partial prisoner releases and a foreign "stabilisation force" led by the US and allied Arab governments. 

"No accountability for genocide, no dismantling of the criminal regime, no end to apartheid, no reparations for the victims," one user wrote. 

Another expressed disbelief at the prospect of Tony Blair's involvement. 

According to the proposal, the former UK prime minister will have "oversight and supervision" of a Palestinian committee.

"Trump's 'peace plan' for Gaza includes a 'Board of Peace' headed by Trump and will include Tony Blair," said Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the peace group CODEPINK. "This is not a peace plan. It is a demand of surrender to the colonial/imperial powers."

Many users also pointed out that Palestinians themselves had been excluded from the process. 

Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu asked: "So when do Palestinians get to decide their own future?"

"The US should not be deciding the fate of Palestinians," one user posted. "Real peace is not imposed by Washington and Tel Aviv. It comes from ending the siege, ending the occupation and giving Palestinians their freedom and dignity back."

Soon after the White House event, Qatar and Egypt confirmed they had passed the proposal to Hamas for consideration. 

Trump warned that if the group rejected the plan, Netanyahu would "have our full backing to do what you have to do".