US President Donald Trump on Friday directed Israel to stop its bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip after Hamas announced it would accept certain elements of his proposal to end the nearly two-year conflict and release the remaining hostages captured in the October 7, 2023, attacks.
Hamas stated it was ready to free the hostages and transfer authority in Gaza to other Palestinian representatives but emphasised that several components of the US plan would still require internal Palestinian consultations. Senior Hamas officials indicated that significant disagreements persist and more negotiations would be needed to reach a final deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded that Israel was ready to proceed with what he described as the “first stage” of Trump’s plan, in an apparent referance to the release of hostages. His office reiterated that Israel’s conditions for ending the war remain unchanged, without directly addressing the points of contention with Hamas.
Trump welcomed Hamas’s response, declaring, “I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.”
In a social media post, he added: “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.”
According to Hamas, any decisions concerning Gaza’s future and broader Palestinian rights must come from a “unanimous Palestinian stance” based on consensus among its factions and grounded in international law. The group’s statement, however, did not address disarmament, a central demand from both Israel and Washington included in Trump’s proposal.
Trump’s Ultimatum To Hamas
Earlier in the week, Trump had warned Hamas to accept the terms by Sunday night or face severe consequences. “If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas,” he wrote on social media. “THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”
Trump’s plan calls for an immediate halt to the fighting and the release of the remaining 48 hostages, around 20 of whom are believed to still be alive, within three days. In exchange, Israel would pause its offensive, withdraw from much of Gaza, free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and allow large-scale humanitarian aid and reconstruction to begin.
The proposal would shelve the controversial relocation plans for large segments of Gaza’s population and place the territory of about two million Palestinians under international administration.
The transitional governance would reportedly be overseen by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The plan, however, does not outline a framework for eventual reunification between Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank under a single future Palestinian state.
