Trump to Israel as Hamas agrees to free hostages; urges peace
US President Donald Trump reacted to Hamas’s announcement to release all Israeli hostages and engage in talks, saying the group appeared ready for “lasting peace.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Israel must immediately halt its bombing of Gaza to ensure the safe and swift release of hostages. He added that discussions on the details of the deal were already underway and stressed that the issue extended beyond Gaza, aiming for long-sought peace in the Middle East. “Hamas’s statement shows they are ready for lasting peace. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly! This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long-sought peace in the Middle East,” he said. Hamas had announced on Friday night that it agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or deceased, under the terms of Trump’s Gaza proposal and expressed readiness to enter mediated talks to finalise the details, according to Reuters. In the statement, the group said it agreed “to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal” – if the proper conditions for the exchanges are met. The announcement followed Trump’s ultimatum to Hamas, warning that unless it agreed to a peace deal with Israel by Sunday 6 pm Washington DC time or “unprecedented consequences” would follow. “An agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday evening at six (6) pm, Washington, DC 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,” Trump had written on Truth Social. Trump also highlighted his 20-point Gaza peace plan, which he claimed had been agreed upon by Israel, the US and regional powers. He described it as a historic breakthrough that would end centuries of bloodshed in the region.Israel has not immediately made any public statements.
