Hamas accepts Trump’s plan to end Israel’s war with conditions

Hamas announced Friday it is prepared to accept President Donald Trump’s ceasefire proposal to end the war in Gaza, though the group attached conditions to its agreement.

In a statement, the Palestinian group announced that it has agreed “to release all occupation captives – both living and the remains – according to the exchange formula outlined in President Trump’s proposal, with the provision of field conditions necessary for the exchange”.

It added that it was ready to “immediately enter negotiations through mediators to discuss the details” of the exchange.

The group also said it was ready to “hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats) based on Palestinian national consensus and with Arab and Islamic support”.

But it said aspects of the proposal touching on “the future of the Gaza Strip and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people” should be decided on the basis of a “unanimous national position and relevant international laws and resolutions”.

The Trump’s peace deal, which has won the backing of Arab nations and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is designed to secure the release of hostages and bring an end to the two-year conflict that has devastated the Gaza Strip.

Hamas, which carried out the Octtober 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war, has been facing mounting political pressure since Trump unveiled his plan on Monday. The peace blueprint has drawn support from countries including Qatar and Egypt, two Arab mediators with long-standing influence over the group.

At a news conference, Trump vowed to give Israel his “full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas” if the militants refused his plan. A day later, he said Hamas would have “three or four” days to respond.

While Trump’s 20-point proposal incorporates parts of earlier Arab drafts, it was finalized without Palestinian input and shaped during late-stage talks between Netanyahu and U.S. officials. Hamas leaders, past and present, have criticized the framework as vague, tilted in Israel’s favor, and lacking in firm timelines or commitments from Netanyahu.

Under the terms, Hamas would be required to release all hostages within 72 hours of a ceasefire and eventually disarm, while Israel would pull back troops in phases contingent on benchmarks such as the formation of a multinational security force. Netanyahu has said Israel would retain a security buffer and overarching control inside Gaza.

For years, Hamas has declared that disarmament is a red line, even as it signaled willingness to relinquish political authority over Gaza. Leaders have also maintained they would not free all hostages without a complete Israeli withdrawal and assurances the fighting would not resume. But with Trump’s deal enjoying near-universal Arab support, Hamas is confronting a new level of isolation.