Gaza ceasefire talks advance as Hamas accepts key terms
In its statement, Hamas said it had carried out detailed consultations with its leadership, Palestinian factions, and mediators.
Hamas has agreed to some elements of US President Donald Trump’s peace proposal for Gaza, including turning over control of the territory and releasing the remaining hostages in its custody.
The group , however, in a statement on Saturday morning said that other aspects of the plan would need additional discussion among Palestinian leaders before a final decision is made.
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The announcement comes after Trump set a Sunday evening deadline for Hamas to accept his plan, warning that failure to comply could trigger a much larger military response.
In its statement, Hamas said it had carried out detailed consultations with its leadership, Palestinian factions, and mediators.
The group praised “the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of US President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, the immediate entry of aid, the rejection of the occupation of the Strip, and the rejection of the displacement of our Palestinian people from it.”
Hamas confirmed it is ready to release all occupation prisoners, both living and deceased, under the exchange terms outlined in Trump’s plan.
“The movement affirms its readiness to immediately enter, through the mediators, into negotiations to discuss the details,” the statement said.
The group also approved transferring Gaza’s administration to a neutral Palestinian body made up of technocrats and supported by Arab and Islamic countries.
Hamas stressed that broader issues related to Gaza’s future and the rights of Palestinians would be discussed within a comprehensive national framework, with the group playing a key role.
Trump welcomed Hamas’s response, saying: “Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting peace. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on the details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
Earlier on Friday, Trump had warned that rejecting the plan would provoke “all HELL, like no one has ever seen before” against Hamas.
His proposal, designed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for an immediate halt to fighting, the release of 20 Israeli hostages and the remains of others within 72 hours, and the exchange of hundreds of Gazans held by Israel.
The plan also states Hamas will have no governing role in Gaza, which would be temporarily managed by a neutral technocratic committee under international supervision.
European and Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan, have expressed support for the initiative, highlighting its potential to achieve a two-state solution integrating Gaza and the West Bank.
The Palestinian Authority described Trump’s efforts as “sincere and determined,” while Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israel would act decisively if Hamas refused the agreement.
Since the conflict began, at least 66,288 people in Gaza have died due to Israeli attacks, according to Hamas health authorities, underscoring the urgent need for a resolution.
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