European Union leaders have welcomed a United States plan, unveiled on 29th September 2025, to end the war in Gaza, calling for an immediate halt to hostilities and the release of all hostages as first steps towards a broader settlement.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the proposal presented by US President Donald Trump offered “an opportunity” to stop the fighting. In a statement published on X this morning, she urged “all parties to seize this opportunity” and said the EU stood ready to contribute to efforts to end the conflict and deliver relief to civilians in Gaza. She added that any cessation of hostilities must be accompanied by immediate humanitarian access and the release of hostages.
European Council President António Costa also voiced support, describing the situation in Gaza as intolerable and reiterating calls for an immediate ceasefire and the return of hostages. Costa said he welcomed President Trump’s plan and noted Israel’s positive response.
The US proposal, set out by the White House following meetings in Washington, includes a 72-hour timetable for the return of all Israeli hostages, living and deceased, upon Israel’s public acceptance of the agreement. In return, Israel would begin a staged repositioning of its forces and subsequently release categories of Palestinian prisoners once hostages are freed. The plan frames an initial cessation of hostilities as a gateway to further steps on governance, security and reconstruction in Gaza.
According to detailed reporting on the 20-point outline, the initiative combines a sequence of security measures — including the demilitarisation of Gaza verified by monitors — with a package for humanitarian relief, infrastructure rehabilitation and economic redevelopment. It envisages transitional arrangements for local administration under international oversight and rejects Israeli annexation of the territory.
President Trump said Israel had accepted the proposal, while noting that discussions with regional partners were ongoing. Hamas has said it is reviewing the plan.
Von der Leyen and Costa’s statements were aligned with the EU’s established positions on the conflict, including support for a two-state solution as the framework for a durable settlement between Israelis and Palestinians. In recent addresses at high-level forums in late September, both leaders underlined that a negotiated two-state outcome remains, in the EU’s view, the only viable path to a lasting peace and security for both peoples.
The US plan links the ceasefire to a phased process addressing humanitarian needs and security concerns. Under the sequencing described by Washington, active military operations would be suspended once both sides agree, with battle lines frozen while preparations are made for the hostage exchange and troop repositioning. A larger exchange of prisoners would follow the release of hostages, alongside steps towards internal security arrangements in Gaza and the introduction of independent verification.
The proposal also outlines international roles in stabilisation and recovery. Reporting on the plan refers to an international support effort for Gaza’s reconstruction and to transitional governance mechanisms with external participation, with the objective of restoring basic services and enabling economic activity. The approach combines immediate relief with longer-term measures intended to prevent renewed hostilities.
Initial reactions from capitals indicated broad backing among several European governments and regional partners for the ceasefire-first sequencing and the priority given to humanitarian access and the release of hostages. However, the timeline for implementation depends on agreement by the parties and the establishment of monitoring and enforcement arrangements capable of verifying compliance on both sides.
EU institutions have signalled readiness to support humanitarian operations and to assist with subsequent phases if a cessation of hostilities takes hold. Von der Leyen said the EU is prepared to contribute to ending the war and delivering immediate relief, while Costa reiterated that the central objective is the protection of civilians, the return of hostages and a pathway to a political settlement consistent with international consensus.
As of 30th September, the plan’s next steps hinge on responses from the parties, including Hamas’s formal position and Israel’s follow-through on the proposed sequencing. The EU’s engagement is expected to focus on humanitarian access, support for verification and monitoring mechanisms, and coordination with regional and international partners on reconstruction planning, subject to the security conditions on the ground and the terms ultimately accepted by the parties.
