Hamas signals willingness to release hostages and end Gaza war, while U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on his Middle East Peace proposal [Image by University of Navarra]
(The Post News) – Hamas announced on Friday that it had adopted key conditions of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace initiative, including the pledge to release all Israeli hostages, living or dead, in exchange for Palestinian detainees. The movement was also prepared to transfer Gaza’s government to a Palestinian-led non-partisan technocratic government, which represents a potential breakthrough after nearly two years of violence.
In its statement, Hamas said it would “immediately enter into negotiations through mediators” to finalize the agreement. It demanded that any temporary Gaza government be Palestinian, responding to Trump’s plan for an internationally governed “Board of Peace.”
The action followed Trump’s ultimatum for Hamas to sign his plan by Sunday or face “all HELL, like no one has ever seen before.”
Trump Orders Israel to Halt Bombardments
Trump hailed the Hamas announcement as proof the group is “ready for a lasting PEACE” and ordered Israel to stop its aerial strikes against Gaza to allow for the release of hostages unharmed.
Israel must immediately stop bombing Gaza, so we can safely and quickly get the Hostages out!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He afterwards described it as “a very special day” in a videotaped message, thanking Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey for their efforts at mediation.
The Trump plan includes:
A total and unconditional ceasefire and release of all 48 remaining hostages within 72 hours. Israeli prisoners for Palestinian prisoners swap and gradual Israeli pullout from Gaza. The transitional rule of Gaza by a triumvirate and a road map to Palestinian self-determination, but not an obligatory state.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has confirmed that Israel is set to execute the first phase of Trump’s strategy based on the release of hostages.
“We will continue to work in full coordination with the president and his team to end the war as per the principles laid down by Israel that are in consonance with Trump’s vision,” the statement further said.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) also confirmed that senior commanders had been instructed to make themselves ready to be “ready to implement the first stage.”.
But despite Trump’s call for restraint, Israeli airstrikes continued overnight in Gaza. Dozens of homes were demolished and at least 20 Palestinians, including children, were killed, civil defence officials said, in Gaza City and Khan Younis.
Disarmament is one of the major sticking points. Trump’s proposal calls on Hamas to relinquish its weapons forever under international oversight, something that has been rejected so far by the group.
A senior Hamas official said Hamas would never surrender its arms as long as Israel maintains its “occupation” of Gaza.
Hamas also dismissed outright the idea of the “Board of Peace” of foreign leaders, particularly former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, opting instead for Palestinian consensus governance.
International Response
Reactions poured in from around the globe: UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the Hamas decision, appealing to the two sides to “seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end.”
Egypt and Qatar, the primary mediators, began coordinating with Washington to steamroll the talks. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas backed the effort, appealing for a comprehensive ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and reconstruction.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a hardline but influential militant group, also embraced Hamas’s step, increasing expectations of broader compliance. While European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz termed the Hamas reaction as “a significant step forward.” And, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged its immediate enforcement.
Even Iran-allied Islamic Jihad, long considered harder-line than Hamas, reported it participated in talks that resulted in the decision.
It began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants murdered about 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. At least 66,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the Israeli bombardments since then, with tens of thousands reported injured, Gaza’s health ministry said.
The humanitarian disaster in Gaza remains catastrophic. Large tracts of the enclave lie in ruins, famine levels persist, and displaced families are compelled to settle into squalid camps with few supplies of food or clean water.
While Trump’s threat and Hamas’s conciliation are closest to a ceasefire since the conflict, both sides are steeped in suspicion. Netanyahu is faced with internal disagreements within his right-wing ruling coalition, while Hamas risks sacrificing its armed superiority by releasing hostages.
Yet for war-weary Palestinians, the announcement provided an unprecedented optimism. “When I heard the news … my body shook and quivered,” said Palestinian displaced person Samah Al-Hu in Al-Mawasi. “Finally, relief has arrived for us.”
A Western diplomat warned that the next few days would be pivotal: “Either we have hostages released this week, or the war will resume.”
The coming hours and negotiations will determine whether Trump’s Gaza peace plan is a breakthrough in one of the Middle East’s most violent wars, or another failure of efforts to bring it to an end.
About the Author
