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Questions around Gaza 20-point
peace plan as US Government shutdown begins
1 October 2025
The United States and Israel have agreed to a 20-point peace plan for Gaza, but it is unclear how they intend to elicit agreement from Hamas, given the framework includes conditions they have consistently rejected in the past. The plan stipulates that “Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza” and that “Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee.” It also establishes a number of new bodies overseeing various aspects of the transition including an International Stabilization Force (ISF) and a “Board of Peace” chaired by President Trump, himself.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump declined to take any questions at their joint press conference and many questions swirl about how the plan would actually work.
In the press conference, President Trump alluded to another negotiation he’s juggling at the moment, citing his meeting with congressional Democrats later on Monday.
Their meeting ultimately did not yield a resolution, with Vice President JD Vance saying, “I think we’re headed to a shutdown” following the discussion. This proved accurate as the US Government officially shut down as of midnight Eastern Standard Time, when the Senate failed to pass a short-term spending bill that would continue government funding.
Democrats are using one of the few forms of leverage they have, the requirement for a 60-vote majority, to push for an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies and a reduction in the Medicaid cuts from earlier this year. While the party holding out usually gets the blame for a shutdown, recent polling shows this time may be different, as a larger share of Americans express dissatisfaction with the president’s policy agenda.
Democrats are banking on this but will have to tread carefully as sentiment will likely skew against them the longer a shutdown goes on. The fact that they are willing to take this step is a radical departure from the shutdown showdown in March, a sign that they are a lot less concerned about the efficiency ultimatums from Director of the US Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought than the budget slashing under former “Efficiency Czar” Elon Musk.
Democrats are taking this gamble based on the trends they see in polling and their political calculations. They are in a very different position than they were in March, but whether the White House and Republicans on the Hill would be willing to give them a win remains to be seen.
Mari Koeck
Director, Engagement and Impact
Lead photo: US President Donald Trump (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) leave at the end of a joint news conference in the State Dining Room at the White House on 29 September 2025 in Washington DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“They're taking a risk by having a shutdown. Because of the shutdown, we can do things medically and other ways, including benefits. We can cut large numbers of people.”
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Weaponising words: Russia's global influence playbook
Russian disinformation and foreign influence campaigns have increasingly become defining features of today’s information landscape. Their reach extends beyond Ukraine, shaping debates around the globe including in the United States, Southeast Asia, and Australia. Please join us for expert remarks and a panel discussion featuring Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko, ex-career diplomat and strategic communications specialist, Natalia Solieva, and University of Sydney Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, Dr Olga Boichak. This discussion will be moderated by USSC Director of Strategic Technologies, Olivia Shen.
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