“Releases the hostages, all of them, including the bodies of those that are dead, NOW! An Agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time. Every Country has signed on! If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”
— President Donald J. Trump, October 2025
A Deal Hanging in the Balance
By the time you read this, the news may have already shifted. The situation in Israel and Gaza is unfolding hour by hour — and what we write today was true mere hours ago.
President Trump’s 21-point Middle East peace plan has drawn the world’s attention — and all eyes are on whether Hamas will sign.
The proposal, developed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and endorsed by nearly every regional power, seeks to end the Gaza war, secure the release of remaining hostages, and remove Hamas from control.
Israel has agreed to a withdrawal line, halting its Gaza City offensive, while negotiators prepare for talks in Cairo and Sharm el-Sheikh. U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff has been dispatched to oversee the delicate diplomacy.
Trump has set a clear ultimatum: Hamas must agree by Sunday evening at 6:00 PM Washington time. Otherwise, he warns, “all bets are off.”
Inside the Plan
The framework includes:
An immediate ceasefire once Hamas confirms.
Release of all 48 remaining hostages, both living and deceased.
Phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, monitored by international oversight.
Disarmament of Hamas and the transfer of local governance to a transitional authority.
A major humanitarian and reconstruction effort to stabilize Gaza.
Oversight from the United States and allied nations, with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair reportedly helping guide post-conflict administration.
Israel has accepted the plan conditionally — Netanyahu described Hamas’s initial response as “mainly negative,” yet saw no choice but to move forward with the U.S. framework.
Meanwhile, Hamas officials have voiced public hesitation, calling certain terms “unacceptable.” Internal divisions between the group’s military and political wings appear to be stalling a final signature.
The Mystery of the 21st Point
Is it twenty points… or twenty-one?
Some news outlets, including The Guardian and PBS, have called it a 20-point plan. Yet reports from diplomatic circles — including Israeli and Arab sources — speak of a 21st point still under wraps.
What could it be?
Some speculate it refers to regional normalization — extending peace to nations that have not yet recognized Israel. Others whisper it’s about religious freedom, a principle meant to guarantee worship without fear from Jerusalem to Gaza.
And perhaps, as believers, we can’t help but wonder: could the 21st point be something deeper — a move of God’s hand in the affairs of men, unseen by the world’s cameras but written in prophecy?
“He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear.” — Psalm 46:9
Watching and Praying
For now, Israel waits. Hostages hang in the balance. The world watches.
In a statement of faith and courage, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he is “hopeful we’ll see the return of all hostages in the coming days, even during Sukkot.”
As Christian Women For Israel, we watch with hope — not the shallow hope of diplomacy, but the enduring hope of covenant.
We pray for leaders to act with wisdom, for the innocent to be protected, and for God’s peace to take root where war has long reigned.
Today’s Prayer
Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
We lift up Israel in this historic hour. Give wisdom to her leaders and courage to her soldiers. Move hearts toward peace — not through compromise with evil, but through Your divine justice. Protect the hostages, comfort their families, and bring restoration to Your people.
And if there truly is a 21st point still hidden from the world — let it be Your plan, not man’s, that prevails.
In Yeshua’s name, Amen.
