Hamas has accepted certain elements of U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the conflict in Gaza, agreeing to relinquish power in the territory and release all hostages still in its custody.
However, the Palestinian group said other parts of the proposal would require further discussions among its leadership and other Palestinian factions.
The announcement came hours after Trump set a Sunday evening deadline for Hamas to accept the plan, warning that failure to comply could trigger a more intense military campaign.
The war, now nearing its second year, began with Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which killed over 1,200 people and left 251 hostages in the group’s hands.
In a statement on Saturday, Hamas said it had conducted extensive consultations with its leadership, Palestinian forces, and mediators before reaching a decision. The group expressed appreciation for “the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of U.S. 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 its readiness to release all occupation prisoners, including both the living and the remains, according to the exchange framework outlined in Trump’s proposal.
“The movement affirms its readiness to immediately enter, through the mediators, into negotiations to discuss the details,” the statement added.
The group also agreed to hand over governance of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian technocratic body based on national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic countries.
Hamas, however, stressed that other matters related to Gaza’s future and the broader rights of Palestinians must be resolved within a collective Palestinian national framework.
Trump responded to Hamas’s statement, 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 details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
Trump had earlier warned that if Hamas rejected the plan, “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.”
His proposal, crafted with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of 20 Israeli hostages and remains of others within 72 hours, and the exchange of hundreds of detained Gazans.
The plan also stipulates that Hamas will not govern Gaza, which would be temporarily overseen by a neutral technocratic committee under international supervision.
European and Middle Eastern nations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan, have welcomed the proposal, emphasizing its potential to lead to a two-state solution integrating Gaza and the West Bank.
The Palestinian Authority described Trump’s efforts as “sincere and determined.” Meanwhile, Netanyahu affirmed that Israel would act decisively if Hamas refused the agreement, signaling potential escalation should negotiations fail.
Since the conflict began, at least 66,288 people in Gaza have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to Hamas-run health authorities, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution as both sides face mounting pressure to end the bloodshed.