Tony Blair says Trump's Gaza plan ‘stopped’ war, but situation remains 'precarious'

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday that Israel's war against the Gaza Strip has “stopped” under US President Donald Trump's Gaza plan, arguing that it addressed the “roots” of the conflict, but indicated that conditions on the ground remain dire.

“The reason President Trump’s peace plan succeeded in bringing the war in Gaza to an end was that it was based on a strategically coherent framework,” Blair said in addressing a UN Security Council meeting, Blair, a member of the Executive Board of Trump's Board of Peace.

Praising Trump's plan as “harder and more ambitious” compared to previous ones, he said it will “endure because it deals with the roots and not the manifestation of the issue.”

“The situation in Gaza remains precarious. The war has stopped, violence has fallen dramatically, but ceasefire violations continue,” said Blair.

He said food assistance has improved, but added “life remains desperate for many,” citing urgent needs in shelter, health care, water and sanitation.

He pointed to what he described as “substantial progress” in implementing Trump's 20-point plan, including the formation of a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and the completion of a pre-deployment assessment mission for an International Stabilization Force. He also said more than $7 billion in funding has been pledged for Gaza’s recovery.

Blair underscored that demilitarization talks with Hamas are ongoing, led by mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye, and he called for continued political and financial support for reconstruction efforts.

Blair's remarks came as the UN officials warned during the meeting that the situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank is "steadily worsening" as regional tensions draw global attention elsewhere.

Israeli attacks have killed at least 818 Palestinians and injured 2,301 since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was reached last October, based on a 20-point plan by Trump, according to figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The ceasefire was reached after two years of a genocidal war that began Oct. 8, 2023, killing at least 72,600 Palestinians, injuring more than 172,400, and causing massive destruction affecting 90% of the civilian infrastructure.