Hamas issued an official response to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the war in Gaza on Friday night, hours after he gave them an ultimatum to accept a peace plan by 6pm Washington time on Sunday or face “hell the likes of which the world has never seen.”
In a statement, Hamas said it had decided to respond positively to the key points of the proposal after extensive consultations with its leadership, Palestinian factions, mediators and “friendly states”.
The movement said it appreciated the efforts of the international community, including President Trump’s initiative, to end the war, exchange prisoners, allow immediate humanitarian aid, prevent the occupation and prevent the displacement of the Palestinian people.
“Within this framework, and in order to achieve a complete ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, Hamas announces its agreement to release all Israeli prisoners – both alive and dead – in accordance with the exchange envisaged in the Trump plan, provided that the ground conditions for the implementation of this process are provided,” the text reads.
The movement also confirmed its readiness to immediately, through mediators, begin detailed negotiations on the modalities of the exchange.
One of the most important elements of the response concerns the governance of Gaza after the conflict. Hamas announced that it agrees to transfer power in the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian administration composed of independent experts (technocrats), in accordance with a national consensus and with the support of Arab and Islamic countries.
However, Hamas stressed that “all issues in the Trump proposal relating to the future of Gaza and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people” are linked to a unified Palestinian position and international law, and that these issues will be discussed within a broader national framework.
With this response, Hamas accepted, at least in principle, the key elements of the US-Israeli proposal, but at the same time left room for further negotiations and the definition of a long-term political solution.
The outcome will now depend on the next moves by Washington, Israel and international mediators, while the deadline set by Trump expires on Sunday evening.
