WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday called on Israel to halt its bombing campaign in Gaza to allow for the release of hostages after Hamas said it had agreed in principle to portions of his 20-point plan to end the conflict.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Hamas was “ready for a lasting PEACE” following a statement from the group agreeing to proceed with the hostage exchange component of the plan he unveiled Monday alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“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,” Trump said.
Hamas announced it would release all Israeli hostages, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula outlined in Trump’s proposal, provided “field conditions for the exchange are met.” The group also expressed readiness to transfer day-to-day governance of Gaza to an interim Palestinian body of technocrats backed by Arab and Islamic states. However, Hamas avoided addressing one of Trump’s key conditions: the permanent disarmament of its military wing.
Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera the group would not hand over its weapons until Israel ends its occupation of Gaza, but suggested arms could eventually be transferred to a future Palestinian governing authority.
Netanyahu’s office responded by saying Israel was prepared for the “immediate implementation of the first stage” of Trump’s plan, focused on hostage release, while reiterating Israel’s broader war aims. “We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to bring the war to an end in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which are aligned with President Trump’s vision,” the statement read.
The development followed Trump’s ultimatum earlier this week warning Hamas it had until Sunday evening to accept the deal or face consequences he described as “all HELL, like no one has ever seen before.”
In a video posted late Friday, Trump thanked regional partners including Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan for their role in brokering the proposal. “This is a very special day, maybe unprecedented in many ways,” he said, adding that negotiations were ongoing to finalize details.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari welcomed Hamas’s statement and endorsed Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire to enable a hostage release and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.
While Trump has hailed the framework as a breakthrough toward “long sought PEACE in the Middle East,” gaps remain over Hamas’s disarmament and the longer-term governance of Gaza. The coming days may determine whether the plan leads to de-escalation—or collapses under the weight of unresolved issues.
