**Hamas Agrees to Release Israeli Hostages Under Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan**
Hamas has announced its agreement to release all Israeli hostages and return the remains of the deceased as part of a peace plan proposed by former US President Donald Trump. This announcement came just hours after Trump threatened to unleash “all hell” on the jihadist group if they did not accept his peace proposal, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed during a White House meeting on Monday.
In a statement, Hamas declared, “The movement announces its approval to release all occupation prisoners, alive and dead, according to the exchange formula mentioned in President Trump’s proposal.” The group also agreed to hand over administrative control of Gaza to an independent body composed of Palestinian technocrats, whom they said would be “based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support.”
Trump responded on his social media platform, Truth Social, expressing optimism about Hamas’ intentions. He urged Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza so that we can get the hostages out” and stated, “Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.”
However, Hamas rejected Trump’s suggestion to appoint a non-Palestinian chairperson for the proposed “Board of Peace” to govern Gaza. Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera, “We will never accept anyone who is not Palestinian to control the Palestinians. We can’t bring someone like Tony Blair to be governor in Gaza because this man, he destroyed Iraq.”
The group confirmed that other elements of Trump’s 20-point peace plan concerning Gaza’s future “will be discussed through a comprehensive Palestinian national framework in which Hamas will participate and contribute responsibly.”
A White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, announced that Trump is expected to address Hamas directly from the Oval Office later today.
In their announcement, Hamas praised Trump and other international and regional efforts aimed at stopping the war in Gaza, promoting prisoner exchange, enabling immediate aid entry, and opposing the occupation and displacement of Palestinians. The group stated, “Hamas appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of US President Donald Trump.”
Currently, around twenty hostages remain in Hamas captivity, in addition to the bodies of 28 individuals the group has not returned since the October 7, 2023, attack.
This statement from Hamas followed Trump’s earlier warning on Truth Social, where he demanded that the group accept his peace plan by 6 p.m. on Sunday or face severe consequences. The proposed deal stipulates that all remaining hostages be released within 72 hours of reaching an agreement.
Trump had previously described Hamas as a ruthless and violent threat, highlighting the horrific massacre on October 7, which targeted civilians including babies, women, children, the elderly, and young people celebrating their futures. Earlier this week, Trump met with Netanyahu and his team at the White House to finalize the peace deal, which includes increased aid to Gaza and an economic development proposal involving preferred tariffs and access rates.
Despite progress, Hamas is resisting efforts to disarm, according to Arab mediators in Doha, Qatar. The group insists on retaining defensive capabilities but has expressed willingness to hand over offensive weapons to Egypt and the United Nations for safekeeping. Additionally, Hamas has reiterated its demand for a timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.
Previous attempts to pressure Hamas into a peace deal, including threats from US envoy Steve Witkoff, failed to produce results. Negotiations nearly collapsed last month following an Israeli strike at Qatar, a key mediator in the talks. Since then, Trump has secured support from Netanyahu and vital Arab power brokers in the region, moving the peace process forward.
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*Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.*
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15160665/Hamas-AGREES-Trump-peace-plan-Gaza.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
