Hamas announced on Friday that it will release all remaining hostages, dead or alive, in accordance with President Donald Trump’s peace deal, a decision Trump said indicated the terrorist group is “ready for lasting PEACE.” Hamas only agreed to parts of Trump’s proposal, however, highlighting “issues” related to the future of the Gaza Strip.
Despite the partial agreement, Trump urged Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza” so the hostages can return home safely.
Trump’s extensive plan for ending the war in Gaza, obtained and authenticated by The Times of Israel, stated in part that the war would immediately end if Israel and Hamas agreed to its terms. Once Hamas releases the hostages, Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners and more than 1,000 Gazans who have been arrested since the war began.
According to the plan, members of Hamas who commit to peace will be granted amnesty, and a temporary government of “Palestinian technocrats” will take control of Gaza under the supervision of a new international association led by the United States.
Hamas will not have any role in Gaza’s government, the plan states, and the zone’s offensive military infrastructure – including Hamas’ infamous tunnels – will be destroyed.
Trump’s plan also seeks to “de-radicalize” the Palestinian population and establish an ongoing dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians.
Hamas appeared to reject the governance elements of Trump’s proposal, stating, “As for other issues included in President Trump’s proposal concerning the future of the Gaza Strip and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, this is tied to a collective national position and in accordance with relevant international laws and resolutions, to be discussed within a comprehensive Palestinian national framework, in which Hamas will be included and will contribute with full responsibility.”
Trump issued a video statement celebrating Hamas’ response, calling it a “very special day.”
“Thank you all to those great countries that helped. We were given a tremendous amount of help. Everybody was unified in wanting this war to end and see peace in the Middle East – and we’re very close to achieving that,” Trump said.
Israel has not responded to Hamas’ statement.
Trump’s patience with Hamas was apparently wearing thin on Friday. Just hours before Hamas agreed to parts of the deal, Trump issued a threatening statement warning the terrorist group that this was their “LAST CHANCE” to secure peace before “all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out.”
“As retribution for the October 7th attack on civilization, more than 25,000 Hamas ‘soldiers’ have already been killed. Most of the rest are surrounded and MILITARILY TRAPPED, just waiting for me to give the word, ‘GO,’ for their lives to be quickly extinguished. As for the rest, we know where and who you are, and you will be hunted down, and killed,” Trump warned, urging innocent Palestinians to leave the area if Hamas didn’t sign onto the deal. “We will have PEACE in the Middle East one way or the other.”