A glimmer of hope has emerged in the ongoing conflict, as both Israel and Hamas have indicated their willingness to engage with a new cease-fire plan proposed by President Trump. This diplomatic opening, however, is met with substantial obstacles that require careful negotiation to achieve a lasting peace in Gaza.
On Saturday morning, the Israeli government announced its readiness for the “immediate implementation” of the initial phases of Trump’s plan. Just hours prior, Hamas had offered its conditional acceptance, signaling its intent to release all remaining hostages. The developments have injected a mix of disbelief, cautious optimism, and widespread confusion among Israelis and Palestinians alike, who yearn for an end to the nearly two-year war.
President Trump, radiating confidence, declared it a “big day” and urged Israel to halt its bombing campaign in Gaza to facilitate the hostage release. He acknowledged, however, that the specifics of the agreement still needed to be “concrete.”
Crucially, neither side provided detailed responses to the most challenging aspects of the proposed deal. Hamas remained vague on whether it would agree to disarm, a key condition backed by Israel and central to Trump’s plan. Similarly, it was unclear if Israel would accept any significant modifications to the plan, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had publicly endorsed earlier in the week during his visit to the White House.
Regional officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the discussions, confirmed that Israeli negotiators were preparing to travel for indirect talks with Hamas, though an exact departure date was not disclosed.
Trump’s 20-point plan, unveiled earlier this week, outlines a path for releasing the remaining hostages in Gaza and bringing Israel’s intensive military operations to an end. It is estimated that at least 20 living hostages and the remains of approximately 25 others are still held in Gaza. The plan stipulates that Hamas would release all hostages within 72 hours and surrender its weaponry, effectively ending its governance in Gaza. Following this, Israeli forces would gradually withdraw, paving the way for an internationally supervised Palestinian administration to take over public services.
Hamas formally responded to Trump’s proposal late Friday. Their statement affirmed an agreement to release all remaining captives under the plan’s terms. This would involve Israel releasing 250 Palestinian prisoners currently serving life sentences, alongside 1,700 others detained since the conflict began. Additionally, the bodies of 15 Gazans would be exchanged for each deceased Israeli captive held by Hamas.
However, Hamas also expressed a desire for specific “conditions on the ground” to facilitate the exchange, implying the need for further negotiations. The group notably avoided clarifying its stance on disarming or fully relinquishing its dominant position in Gaza, which the Trump plan explicitly requires.
President Trump took to social media, celebrating Hamas’s response as proof that their leaders were “ready for a lasting PEACE,” and reiterated his call for Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza” to ensure the safe release of hostages.
Hours later, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office released its own statement, confirming Israel’s preparations for “the immediate release of all the hostages” and its commitment to “bring the war to an end in accordance with the principles set forth by Israel,” in cooperation with Trump. Simultaneously, the Israeli military stressed its ongoing need for “a rapid response to neutralize any threat.”
Despite the diplomatic pronouncements, residents in Gaza reported continued explosions into the early morning, suggesting Israeli military operations were still active. Many Gazans, deeply affected by nearly two years of conflict, expressed a desperate hope that Hamas would make all necessary concessions to finalize a deal with Israel.
Natan Odenheimer contributed reporting from Tel Aviv.