The Palestinian movement Hamas responded on Friday to the peace plan presented by the US President, Donald Trump, to end the war in Gaza, saying it had accepted some elements of it.
In response, Trump ordered Israel to stop bombing the enclave to prepare for the hostage release. Hamas’ response came after Trump had set Sunday a deadline for the group to accept his proposal or face “all hell, like no one has ever seen before.”
Hamas Agrees to Ceasefire
The Palestinian movement said it agrees to release all the hostages – alive and deceased – according to “the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal, with the necessary field conditions for implementing the exchange,” adding that it is ready to “immediately enter, through the mediators, into negotiations to discuss the details.”
The group also expressed readiness to “hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats) based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing,” it said in a statement.
Hamas added that other elements mentioned in Trump’s peace plan will be discussed in the future, insisting that it “will be included and will contribute with full responsibility” to a “comprehensive national Palestinian framework.”
Trump’s Reaction
After Hamas’ response, Trump welcomed their statement, saying: “I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.” He also ordered Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Later, the US President said in a video address that “everybody will be treated fairly” in discussions related to the future of Gaza. He thanked Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Türkiye, and Jordan for their efforts in helping him negotiate a peace deal.
Israel Ready for First Phase
Following Hamas response, Israel said it is “preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of the Trump plan for the release of all the hostages,” according to a statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
“We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which align with President Trump’s vision,” it added.
Moreover, Israel’s chief of general staff convened an overnight meeting with top officials from the military and intelligence services where he “instructed to advance readiness for the implementation of the first phase of the Trump plan,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
In the light of this, “the political echelon instructed the Israeli military will reduce its troops’ activity in Gaza to a minimum and to carry out defensive actions only in the Strip,” Doron Kadosh, a reporter for Israel’s official military radio station, Galatz, posted on X.
He added that this indicates that the operation to occupy Gaza “has been blocked for now.”
Positive Development
Key mediators Egypt and Qatar have welcomed Hamas’ response to the peace plan. Egypt called Hamas response a “positive development,” hoping that “it will lead all parties to rise to the level of responsibility by committing to implementing President Trump’s plan on the ground and end the war.”
Meanwhile, Qatar welcomed Hamas’ agreement to the peace plan, reaffirming its support for Trump’s calls for immediate ceasefire, the Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson said.
The Gulf country also confirmed that “it has begun working with its fellow mediators in Egypt, in coordination with the US, to continue discussions on the plan in order to ensure a path toward ending the war.”
Similarly, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, welcomed Hamas statement, urging all parties to “seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
Global Reactions
Several European leaders welcomed Hamas’ acceptance of Trump’s plan. The French President, Emmanuel Macron, said that “the release of all hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza are within reach.”
“Hamas’ commitment must be followed up without delay. We now have the opportunity to make decisive progress towards peace,” he posted on X.
The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, described Hamas’ response as a “significant step forward,” calling on “all sides to implement the agreement without delay.”
German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said that “this is the best chance for peace,” while the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, said that “the priority for all must now be to reach a ceasefire that leads to the immediate release of all the hostages. Italy remains ready to do its part.”
Meanwhile, the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, called Hamas’ response “a constructive and significant step towards the achievement of lasting peace.”
The Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, encouraged all parties to “immediately work to turn commitments into reality.”
