Israel and Hamas have signaled their readiness to advance with aspects of President Trump’s proposed ceasefire plan, igniting hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough. Yet, significant unresolved issues remain that demand negotiation to finally bring an end to the protracted conflict in Gaza.
On Saturday morning, the Israeli government announced its preparations for the ‘immediate implementation’ of the initial stages of Trump’s proposal. Just hours prior, Hamas had issued a statement committing to the release of all remaining hostages, a core component of the plan. However, the group notably omitted direct responses to many other critical elements.
President Trump expressed confidence in the deal’s imminence, declaring it a ‘big day’ while simultaneously urging Israel to halt its bombardment of Gaza. He acknowledged, however, that negotiators still needed to ‘get the final word down in concrete.’
Neither Israel nor Hamas offered explicit statements on the long-standing major hurdles to an agreement. Notably, Hamas’s statement did not address whether it would comply with Trump’s stipulation, supported by Israel, that the group disarm.
It also remains unclear whether Israel is prepared to accept any substantial modifications to Trump’s plan, a proposal that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel endorsed during his recent visit to the White House.
Israeli negotiators are reportedly preparing to travel to Egypt for indirect discussions with Hamas in the coming days, though the exact departure time is unknown, according to four regional officials speaking anonymously about sensitive political matters.
Meanwhile, mediators from Qatar and Egypt are engaged in their own discussions with Hamas regarding the proposal, while the United States maintains dialogue with Israel, as confirmed by two other diplomats familiar with the delicate diplomatic contacts.
Following these rapid developments, Israelis and Palestinians found themselves oscillating between disbelief, tentative hope, and outright confusion. Many yearn for an end to the nearly two-year-long conflict.
According to three Israeli officials, who requested anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly, the Israeli military is also making arrangements for the potential release of hostages. Forces have been instructed to adopt a defensive stance, though they are not withdrawing from their positions within Gaza.
However, the implications for Palestinians in Gaza remain uncertain. Local health officials reported approximately 66 fatalities on Friday, a toll that does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israeli operations in Gaza City have devastated residential areas and compelled hundreds of thousands to flee.
Avichay Adraee, an Israeli military spokesman, cautioned displaced Palestinians against returning to the northern enclave, despite the ceasefire optimism. He stated on social media that Israeli soldiers ‘are still surrounding Gaza City, and attempting to return there poses extreme danger.’
Two Palestinians in Gaza reported that explosions and gunfire persisted into the early morning hours, indicating ongoing Israeli military activity. Exhausted and traumatized by the war, many Gazans express a fervent desire for Hamas to make any necessary concessions to secure a deal with Israel.
Abdelkarim al-Harazin, a doctor who recently sought refuge in southern Gaza from Gaza City, voiced the sentiment of many: ‘Get us out of this situation in any way possible, and quickly. We’ve been through this before, a million times, thinking that it might happen — only to get burned.’
Earlier this week, President Trump unveiled a twenty-point plan aimed at securing the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza and ending Israel’s devastating military campaign. It is believed that at least 20 living hostages and the remains of approximately 25 others are still held in Gaza.
The plan outlines that Hamas would release all remaining hostages within 72 hours, surrender its weapons, and relinquish its control over Gaza. Simultaneously, Israeli forces would gradually pull out of Gaza, paving the way for an internationally supervised Palestinian administration to manage public services.
Hamas delivered its response to Trump’s proposal late Friday night. In its statement, the group agreed to release all remaining hostages according to the plan’s terms. This would entail the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israel, alongside 1,700 others detained since the war began. For each deceased Israeli captive, the bodies of 15 Gazans would be exchanged.
However, Hamas also stipulated that specific on-the-ground conditions were required to facilitate the exchange, necessitating further negotiations. The group remained ambiguous regarding its willingness to disarm or fully surrender its dominant role in Gaza, as envisioned by Trump’s plan.
Osama Hamdan, a Hamas official, stated on Friday that ‘security measures’ were necessary to free the living hostages and suggested that locating the remains of others would be a time-consuming process.
‘Some have been buried, some are in areas under the occupation’s control, and some — as a result of the destruction and leveling that took place — need to be looked into,’ he informed Al Araby TV, a Qatar-based broadcaster.
Trump lauded Hamas’s response as proof that the group’s leadership is ‘ready for a lasting PEACE,’ in a social media post. He urged Israel to ‘immediately stop the bombing of Gaza’ to ensure the hostage release could proceed.
Several hours later, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office released its own statement, affirming that Israel was preparing for the ‘immediate release of all the hostages’ and would continue collaborating with Trump ‘to bring the war to an end in accordance with the principles set forth by Israel.’ Separately, the military reiterated the need ‘for a rapid response to neutralize any threat.’