A closer examination of President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, unveiled in September 2025 and partially implemented following the October ceasefire, unveils a bold and unprecedented U.S. commitment to the territory’s future that extends far beyond traditional diplomatic mediation. At its core, the plan establishes a “Board of Peace,” an international transitional body chaired directly by Trump himself, to oversee Gaza’s demilitarization, reconstruction, and governance during a provisional period. This structure effectively positions the United States as the de facto custodian of the enclave, with American military personnel playing a pivotal role in enforcement. Reports confirm that the U.S. Central Command has deployed 200 troops to Israel to establish a civil-military coordination center, focused on monitoring security, facilitating humanitarian aid, and supporting the International Stabilization Force (ISF) responsible for Gaza’s internal security. These forces, in consultation with Egypt and Jordan, will train Palestinian police while ensuring Hamas’s disarmament and preventing rearmament, verified through independent monitors and a weapons buyback program. Far from a neutral observer, this setup grants the U.S. military operational control over key aspects of Gaza’s stability, including border security with Israel and Egypt, effectively transforming the Strip into a U.S.-supervised zone where American strategic interests—such as countering Iranian influence and securing regional energy routes—take precedence.

This oversight mechanism is not merely temporary; it signals America’s strategic pivot toward direct stewardship of Gaza, sidelining both Hamas and a reformed Palestinian Authority until benchmarks for “secure and effective” governance are met, as outlined in the plan’s framework drawing from Trump’s 2020 proposals and Saudi-French initiatives. The deployment of U.S. troops, though not entering Gaza proper, enables real-time coordination with the ISF to dismantle military infrastructure, manage aid distribution via UN channels, and oversee economic redevelopment into what Trump has dubbed the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Critics, including Palestinian officials, have decried this as a violation of sovereignty, arguing it echoes colonial mandates by imposing external control without Palestinian consent, yet the plan’s backers, including UAE and Saudi representatives, view it as essential for preventing Hamas’s resurgence. In essence, the U.S. military’s role ensures that Gaza’s reconstruction—funded by Gulf states and a Trump-led expert panel—aligns with American-led security protocols, effectively placing the territory under Washington’s protective umbrella while freezing current battle lines and prohibiting Israeli annexation.

While the plan ostensibly bolsters Israel’s security by neutralizing threats from Gaza, a deeper analysis reveals a subtle reconfiguration of Israel’s regional posture, devolving aspects of its autonomy to a framework reminiscent of U.S. territorial dependencies like the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico. Under the agreement, Israel’s military operations are curtailed to predefined “yellow lines,” with full withdrawal tied to U.S.-verified milestones, and any resumption of hostilities requires coordination through the Board of Peace—implicitly subjecting Israeli decisions to American oversight. This mirrors the limited self-governance of D.C., where federal authority prevails on security and foreign affairs, or Puerto Rico’s commonwealth status, where U.S. military and economic leverage shapes local policy without full statehood. Trump’s public assurances to Arab leaders that he will block West Bank annexation further underscore this shift, positioning the U.S. as the ultimate arbiter in exchange for expanding the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia and others. For Israel, this means trading unilateral freedom for guaranteed U.S. backing, potentially fostering a “home rule” dynamic where Jerusalem’s actions in Palestinian territories are vetted by Washington to sustain broader regional normalization, even as Netanyahu’s government celebrates the hostage releases and ceasefire as a strategic victory.