Weekly update (29th September to 5th October)
- Danny Merson
- Oct 6
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 7
1) Trump unveils 20-point Gaza peace plan with Netanyahu’s backing
On 29 September 2025, the White House released President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal to end the war in Gaza. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, a staged Israeli withdrawal, disarmament of Hamas, and a temporary technocratic government for Gaza led by a “Board of Peace” including Trump and Tony Blair. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly backed the plan. The proposal also outlines that if the plan is accepted, all captives will be returned within 72 hours and thousands of Gazans held in Israeli prisons would be released, whilst full aid will be immediately be sent into the Gaza strip.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70155nked7o (See here for the 20 point plan in full)
2) UK imposes 71 new sanctions on Iran over nuclear programme
The British government announced the addition of 71 individuals and entities under its Iran nuclear sanctions regime. These new designations entail asset freezes, trade and financial restrictions, and travel bans targeting persons linked to Iran’s nuclear and energy sectors. The move was part of coordinated efforts with the UN and EU to enforce compliance with international non-proliferation norms.
3) Thailand advances referendum debate on Cambodia border demarcation agreements
On 29 September 2025, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that Thailand would seek a national referendum on whether to revoke two contentious border demarcation memoranda with Cambodia, aiming to settle long standing disputes through public mandate. This follows rising domestic pressure and exchanges between both countries at the UN General Assembly the previous week. The referendum is proposed as a way to “avoid further conflict,” asking voters to decide if the existing MOUs should remain in place or be nullified. The MOUs date back to 2000 and 2011 and have frequently inflamed nationalist sentiment over territorial sovereignty.
4) 7th European Political Community Summit
The 7th European Political Community (EPC) Summit was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 2 October 2025, hosted by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and attended by leaders from 43 European countries. Discussions focused on security and defence, economic resilience, and migration and mobility, reflecting shared efforts to coordinate regional responses to ongoing conflicts and geopolitical instability. On the sidelines, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held direct talks facilitated by Frederiksen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Council President António Costa, marking a cautious step toward renewed dialogue in the South Caucasus. The summit reaffirmed the EPC’s role as a flexible political forum complementing formal European institutions.
