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Yesterday in Washington, Donald Trump presented a 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. Supported by Benjamin Netanyahu, the plan is based on an immediate ceasefire if Hamas agrees, with the release of 47 hostages before October 2 in exchange for the release of more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. But the agreement remains fragile, as there is no specific timetable for an Israeli withdrawal. It still needs to be approved by a vote of the Israeli cabinet on Sunday and by Hamas.

The document offers amnesty to Hamas fighters who lay down their arms and provides for an influx of humanitarian aid under international supervision. An Arab stabilization force would be deployed, with the mission of taking over security. The demilitarization of Gaza, which is required but not detailed, appears to be the major obstacle: for Hamas, it would mean a definitive abandonment of its military and political role.

Netanyahu, under pressure from Washington, has remained inflexible: Israel would maintain a "security perimeter" around the enclave and the initial withdrawals would be "modest." No return of the Palestinian Authority is envisaged, with future administration entrusted to an ad hoc civilian structure, supported by international experts and supervised by a "peace council" that would include Tony Blair.

The text makes no mention of the West Bank and sidesteps the issue of a Palestinian state. Trump speaks of a "political horizon" for a Palestinian state, but acknowledges Netanyahu's firm opposition to this prospect. Despite these ambiguities, several Arab countries—Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates—as well as European capitals, including Paris, have welcomed the initiative, stressing the urgency of alleviating civilian suffering. The plan also marks the return to the forefront of Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and former advisor, who had already defended controversial scenarios for Gaza.

The proposal leaves one major question unanswered: if Hamas refuses or is reluctant to comply with the conditions, Trump assures Israel of his support "to finish the job." Israel could then seize the opportunity to bury a project that Netanyahu only accepted under pressure from Trump. Le Monde

IN SHORT

🇲🇬 Madagascar • President Andry Rajoelina dissolved the government amid youth-led protests over water and power cuts, which the UN reports have left at least 22 dead and 199 injured. Inspired by Kenya’s and Nepal’s "gen Z" movements, these demonstrations—the largest in years—prompted Rajoelina to pledge dialogue and a new prime minister within three days.

🇺🇸 United States • Donald Trump vowed to "immediately fire" any military leader he "doesn’t like" during a speech to top generals and admirals at Quantico. Promising to revive a "warrior spirit," he attacked the media and predecessor Joe Biden, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blamed decades of decline on diversity policies, calling the military the "Department of Woke." Several officers, including a Black general and a female admiral, have already been dismissed as part of a purge targeting a "failing culture."

🇺🇦 Ukraine - 🇭🇺 Hungary • Ukraine accuses a Hungarian drone of illegally entering its airspace over Transcarpathia, near the shared border, three days ago. Budapest denies the claim, but Ukraine’s foreign minister presented a map as evidence. Viktor Orbán downplayed the incident, stating « So what? » and adding that « Ukraine is not a sovereign country. » Tensions aren’t new: in May, two ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine were arrested for alleged espionage for Budapest. Some fear Hungary, close to Moscow, may be sharing intelligence with Russia.

🇵🇱 Poland - 🇺🇦 Ukraine - 🇩🇪 Germany • Polish authorities arrested a Ukrainian man near Warsaw for his alleged role in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. Wanted by Germany, he is suspected of planting explosives off Denmark’s Bornholm Island as part of a small team. Another Ukrainian, is detained in Italy over similar charges. Ukraine denies involvement, while Russia blames Western nations. The German investigation continues three years after the blasts, which deepened Europe’s energy crisis and exposed infrastructure vulnerabilities.

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso • Three years after his 30 September 2022 coup, Captain Ibrahim Traoré faces a grim record: despite bolstering the military and patriotic defense volunteers, terrorist attacks persist, with deaths doubling from 6,500 in 2022 to 16,000 in 2024. Burkina Faso remains the world’s hardest-hit country by terrorism, per the Global Terrorism Index. Traoré cites initial shortages of weapons and troops as obstacles. Civil liberties and press freedom have deteriorated, with arbitrary detentions condemned by rights groups.

🇩🇪 Germany - 🇨🇳 China • A former aide to far-right AfD MEP Maximilian Krah, German citizen Jian Guo, was sentenced to four years and nine months for spying for China. Between 2019–2024, he allegedly shared EU Parliament intelligence, AfD figures’ data, and monitored Chinese dissidents.

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