US President Donald Trump on Friday instructed Israel to stop its bombardment of Gaza after Hamas issued a formal response to his 20-point peace framework, agreeing in principle to release hostages but leaving major sticking points unresolved.
Trump, who set Hamas a Sunday deadline to accept his plan or face “grave consequences,” declared the militant group had shown it was “ready for a lasting PEACE” and pressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to comply, reports Reuters, AP/UNB, Al Jazeera and agencies.
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly,” he wrote on Truth Social, framing the initiative as part of a wider push for peace in the Middle East.
Netanyahu’s office said Israel was preparing for the “immediate implementation” of the first stage of Trump’s plan, while pledging continued coordination with Washington. Opposition leader Yair Lapid also urged the government to join Trump-led negotiations. Despite the call for a ceasefire,
Gaza residents reported that Israeli tanks shelled central Gaza City’s Talateeni Street and air raids intensified in the Remal neighbourhood shortly after Hamas issued its statement. Strikes were also reported in Khan Younis, though no casualties were confirmed.
Families of hostages still held in Gaza renewed their appeals for Netanyahu to engage in talks, warning time was running out.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron echoed those demands, urging that Hamas’ pledge be “followed up without delay.” Hamas’ official response, seen by Reuters, welcomed Trump’s efforts and agreed to a full prisoner exchange, the entry of aid, and discussions on Gaza’s governance.
The group signalled readiness to hand administration to an independent technocratic body backed by Arab and Islamic states, but did not explicitly commit to Trump’s demand that it give up political power or disarm.
A senior Hamas figure told Al Jazeera that disarmament would only come after Israel ended its occupation. The plan outlined by Trump calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a phased Israeli pullout from Gaza, Hamas disarmament, and a transitional administration under international supervision.
Qatar confirmed it had begun coordination with Egypt and the US to sustain talks. Yet the gaps remain wide: Hamas continues to demand a full and immediate Israeli withdrawal, while Israel insists on disarmament before ending operations.
The war, now in its second year, erupted after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, assault that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent offensive has left more than 66,000 dead in Gaza, according to local health authorities, with widespread destruction and famine conditions gripping the enclave. Earlier Friday,
Trump warned “all HELL” would break out if Hamas rejected his proposal by the weekend. While Hamas has agreed to further negotiations, it was not a party to the original drafting of the plan, leaving the future of the initiative uncertain.
