Hamas has agreed to release hostages and hand over administration of the Gaza Strip under Donald Trump’s peace proposals after the President issued a deadline to the militants
Hamas has agreed to release hostages under Donald Trump’s Gaza peace proposals.
In a statement shared on Telegram, Hamas also said it would hand over administration of the Gaza Strip to a “Palestinian body of independents (technocrats) based on Palestinian national consensus and with Arab and Islamic support.” It comes after Trump gave Hamas until Sunday at 6pm to accept to his “last chance” agreement.
In a Truth Social post, the US president said: “An Agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time. Every Country has signed on! If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”
Hamas said that while it has accepted some elements of Trump’s plan – including giving up power and releasing all remaining hostages – others require further consultations among Palestinians. Hamas said it was willing to release hostages according to the plan’s “formula”, likely referring to the release of Palestinian prisoners.
It also reiterated its longstanding openness to handing power over to a politically independent Palestinian body. But it said aspects of the proposal touching on the future of the Gaza Strip and Palestinian rights should be decided on the basis of a “unanimous Palestinian stance” reached with other factions and based on international law.
The statement also made no mention of Hamas disarming, a key Israeli demand included in Trump’s proposal. The plan has been accepted by Israel and welcomed internationally, but key mediators Egypt and Qatar have said some elements need further negotiation, without elaborating.
Under the plan, which Trump unveiled earlier this week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas would immediately release the remaining 48 hostages – around 20 of them believed to be alive. It would also give up power and disarm.
In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of the territory, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction. Plans to relocate much of Gaza’s population to other countries would be shelved.
The territory of some two million Palestinians would be placed under international governance, with Trump himself and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it. The plan provides no path for eventual reunification with the Israeli-occupied West Bank in a future Palestinian state.
A Hamas official said this week that some elements of the plan are unacceptable and need to be amended, without elaborating. Palestinians long for an end to the war, but many view this and previous US proposals as strongly favouring Israel.
Last month, a UN-commissioned inquiry said Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law have been committed, the probe found. They include killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to destroy, and preventing births. Senior independent rights investigators appointed by the Human Rights Council made the findings.
Commission chair Navi Pillay said: “The Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza. It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.”