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It will be very easy for some to dismiss US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza, and there are dozens of reasons why the plan could fall apart.

Hamas probably won't accept it. Even if they do, they might not be able to deliver on all of the commitments expected from them - for example, they claim that they no longer know the whereabouts of all the Israeli hostages. Some of their members, or members of other militant factions in Gaza - such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad - may prefer to fight on, defying their leaders' wishes.

In Israel, right-wing extremists will be willing it to fail, and will pounce upon any opportunity to proclaim that Hamas has breached the terms. They may be willing to bring down Benjamin Netanyahu's Government, rather than give up on their dream of annexing all of Gaza and the West Bank. They might demand a high price for their support, such as a commitment to more settlements on Palestinian land.

The Israeli Prime Minister himself probably only went along with the proposal following his meeting at the White House in order to please Trump, and buy himself political time.

He has already reneged on certain aspects of it, for example reiterating his opposition to Palestinian statehood, which is mentioned in the plan as a possible long-term outcome, and declaring that Israeli Defence Forces will be allowed to stay on in Gaza, contrary to what is stated in the plan.

Netanyahu will doubtless be delighted to latch onto any foot-dragging by Hamas to declare that the plan has failed.

There are also dozens of elements of the plan which are less than satisfactory.

Trump is not known for his attention to detail or patience - making it doubtful whether he is best suited to be the head of the proposed "Board of Peace" overseeing the process.

Some will question the proposed involvement of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

There is no explicit commitment to a two-state solution.

There are many unanswered questions which have always bedevilled previous peace attempts - for example, the future status of Jerusalem, the size and shape of any future Palestinian state, the status of settlements in the West Bank, the future role of the Palestinian Authority, and whether Palestinians abroad will be given any 'right of return'.

Anyone with knowledge of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is probably right to be pessimistic about the chances of success.

And yet, what alternative do we have?

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Anyone like me, who is sickened by the bloodshed and destruction of the past two years, must yearn for a way to bring the conflict to an end.

America is the only player with the power and connections to bring all the sides together. Trump personally has forged unusual ties with leaders across the region, which he can leverage to secure support for the deal.

And I believe that there are many core aspects of the deal which make it a good starting point.

Points in Support of Trump's Gaza Plan

It is right to insist that Hamas must give up the hostages. Their seizure and prolonged detention has been illegitimate and barbaric. It is unrealistic to expect Israel to agree to any kind of permanent end to the conflict without their release.

It is also right to insist that Hamas is no longer allowed any future role in the governance of Gaza. Their horrific actions on 7 October 2023 made it unacceptable for them to stay in power. But, even before that, their rule has been oppressive, undemocratic, and disastrous for Gazans. By their own actions, they have shown themselves completely unconcerned for the welfare of either...