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Hamas welcomes Trump’s call to halt Israeli bombings in Gaza, expressing readiness for immediate talks on Israeli hostages, prisoner exchange, and ending the war.
Palestinians, displaced from northern Gaza due to an Israeli military operation, take shelter, after evacuating southwards, following Israeli forces’ orders to leave Gaza City, in the central Gaza Strip. (IMAGE: REUTERS)
Hamas said on Friday it was ready to start immediate talks on freeing the Israeli hostages it holds and the end of the Gaza war, welcoming US President Donald Trump’s call for Israel to stop bombing the Palestinian territory.
“President Trump’s statements on the immediate cessation of Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip are encouraging,” Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu told AFP.
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“Hamas is ready to immediately begin negotiations to achieve a prisoner exchange, end the war and ensure the withdrawal of the (Israeli) army from the Gaza Strip,” he added.
Trump had hailed an earlier statement from Hamas that it was committed to a “lasting peace”, in response to the US leader giving the group until 2200 GMT on Sunday to accept his 20-point plan or else face “all hell”.
In that statement, Hamas also agreed to hand over power in Gaza to a body of Palestinian technocrats — another element of the Trump proposal — but said it would “participate and contribute responsibly” in Palestinian discussions regarding the territory’s future.
Trump welcomed the Hamas statement, saying: “I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.”
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out,” he wrote on social media.
About the Author
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev…Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev… Read More
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
October 04, 2025, 06:56 IST
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