President Trump publicly stated his belief that Hamas is “ready for a lasting PEACE” and called upon Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza.” This declaration came after the militant group announced on Friday its willingness to release all Israeli hostages. However, Hamas clarified that it intended to negotiate various elements of the peace plan, which President Trump had unveiled earlier in the week, leaving the precise outcome uncertain.
In a video shared on Truth Social, Mr. Trump hailed Friday as “a very special day,” emphasizing his eagerness for the hostages to return home to their families. He acknowledged that many details still needed to be finalized. Israel remained publicly silent following Hamas’s statement. Yet, the Hostages Families Forum, representing the captives’ relatives, deemed Trump’s demand for a ceasefire “essential to prevent serious and irreversible harm to the hostages,” urging Prime Minister Netanyahu to initiate immediate and efficient negotiations for their release.
Hamas’s online statement was somewhat vague, confirming that hostages would be released “according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal, and as the field conditions for the exchange are met.” The specifics of these “field conditions” and a precise timeline for release were not clearly defined. The group also stated its agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to “a Palestinian body of independent technocrats, based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support.” It remained ambiguous whether this implied Hamas would be barred from future political power, as stipulated in the US proposal, or if its members might still be part of this technocratic body. Notably, the statement did not address the elements of the American proposal that called for Hamas to give up its arms or offer amnesty for its members, which have been major demands from Israel. Hamas did, however, affirm its desire to play a responsible role in discussions about the future of the Palestinian people and the Gaza Strip.
This development followed hours after Mr. Trump had issued an ultimatum on social media, giving Hamas until Sunday evening to accept his ceasefire proposal, threatening “all HELL” if they refused. The situation has placed significant pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose right-wing coalition might oppose certain aspects of the agreement. Yair Lapid, the leader of Israel’s parliamentary opposition, urged Netanyahu to join the discussions, offering political backing if needed.
International reactions were mixed. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Hamas’s response as a “significant step forward,” believing it brought the conflict “closer to peace than ever before,” and called for swift implementation. French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this sentiment, thanking President Trump for creating an opportunity for “decisive progress towards peace.”
According to Daniel C. Kurtzer, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, Trump faced two options: either focus on Hamas’s points of contention or highlight what they did embrace – the release of all hostages in exchange for an end to the war, increased humanitarian aid, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Trump chose the latter path, seemingly overlooking Hamas’s caveats regarding negotiations and future governance, indicating his intent to push Netanyahu to accept these terms. This move, Kurtzer observed, effectively shifted the diplomatic pressure from Hamas to Israel.
Key mediator nations, Qatar and Egypt, welcomed Hamas’s response. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced ongoing collaboration with Egypt and the United States to finalize discussions for ending the war. Egypt expressed that Hamas’s response demonstrated a “keenness to stop the blood shedding of the Palestinian people” and “preserve innocent civilian lives.”
A senior Hamas official, Mousa Abu Marzouk, stated in an interview with Al Jazeera that Hamas was willing to relinquish “any kind of weapons” provided that “the occupation ends and the Palestinian control themselves.” He asserted that if there was no occupation, weapons would not be necessary.
The offer from Hamas evoked varied emotions among the families of hostages. Anat Angrest, whose son Matan is held in Gaza, expressed gratitude to President Trump, feeling “closer than ever” to reuniting with her son. Conversely, Yael Adar, seeking her son’s body, held only “very cautious hope,” viewing Hamas’s response as “evasive” due to its added conditions, which could prolong the tragedy. She voiced disappointment in her country’s leadership, urging them to find a path to negotiations. Herut Nimrodi, mother of another Israeli soldier held hostage, also cautioned against premature celebration, citing Hamas’s past willingness to agree to terms unacceptable to Israel, but stressed that this was an opportunity Israel should not miss, all while expressing anxiety over her son’s uncertain situation.
Some U.S. lawmakers, such as Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), found Hamas’s response encouraging, with Greene stating “peace is badly needed.” However, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) warned against perceiving it as a breakthrough, highlighting issues like lack of disarmament, continued Palestinian control of Gaza, and linking hostage release to further negotiations as fundamental rejections of Trump’s “take it or leave it” proposal.
These recent diplomatic efforts, including a US-led initiative to press Prime Minister Netanyahu, were spurred by a controversial Israeli strike on Hamas representatives in Qatar on September 9. This strike, which failed to eliminate its targets but angered regional and US officials, motivated Trump and his advisors to push Netanyahu for a peace framework. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and former Middle East envoy, returned to a key role in these negotiations. The process culminated in Netanyahu publicly supporting the plan after intense meetings and a “humbling apology” to Qatar for the strike, delivered in the Oval Office.