UNITED States President Donald Trump has urged Israel to immediately cease its bombing campaign in Gaza following Hamas’ conditional acceptance of elements in a proposed US peace deal. However, key issues such as the disarmament of the militant group and the terms of Israel’s withdrawal remain unresolved.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump claimed Hamas had shown it was “ready for a lasting PEACE” and said the responsibility now lay with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly,” Reuters cited Trump writing, adding: “This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
Trump, who has positioned himself as the central broker in ending the nearly two-year-long conflict, had earlier issued a Sunday deadline for Hamas to accept his 20-point peace proposal or face “grave consequences”.
Shortly after Hamas issued its formal response, Gaza residents reported continued Israeli air and ground strikes across Gaza City, including heavy bombardment of Talateeni Street and multiple strikes on residential buildings in Remal and Khan Younis.
Despite its backing for Trump’s plan, the Israeli government has not publicly responded to the group’s statement or Trump’s call to halt the bombing.
Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid, however, urged Netanyahu to proceed with the talks. “Israel should announce it is joining the discussions led by the president to finalise the details of the deal,” he posted on X.
Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza also called on Netanyahu to “immediately order negotiations for the return of all hostages.”
The Israeli Prime Minister faces mounting domestic pressure from hostage families and an increasingly war-weary public, but is constrained by members of his far-right coalition who insist the war effort must continue until Hamas is eliminated.
French President Emmanuel Macron, a vocal advocate for Palestinian statehood, echoed Trump’s urgency: “Hamas’ commitment must be followed up without delay,” he said on X.
The war began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas militants launched a cross-border attack that killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, of whom 20 are believed to be alive.
Israel’s military response has since killed over 66,000 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to Gaza health officials. The offensive has devastated the territory, triggering a humanitarian catastrophe, with famine and mass displacement now widespread.
A recent UN Commission of Inquiry accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza – an allegation Netanyahu’s government firmly rejects, insisting it is acting in self-defence.
In a copy of its response seen by Reuters, Hamas welcomed Trump’s proposal in principle and agreed to release all hostages, both living and dead, “according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal, with the necessary field conditions for implementing the exchange.”
However, the group stopped short of accepting key demands, such as a phased Israeli withdrawal and full disarmament, both of which are central to Trump’s plan and backed by Israel and the US.
A senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that the group would not agree to disarm prior to a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The plan put forward by Trump includes an immediate ceasefire, a comprehensive hostage-for-prisoners exchange, staged Israeli withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, and the establishment of a transitional international administration in Gaza.
While Hamas did not directly reject the idea of ceding political control, it reiterated its offer to “hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats) based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing.”
The group added it is “ready to immediately enter, through the mediators, into negotiations to discuss the details.”
Talks are now expected to continue through intermediaries including Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. A Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed coordination efforts were underway.
Earlier on Friday, Trump warned: “All HELL will break out in Gaza” if Hamas failed to accept the deal by Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. Hamas was not involved in the original drafting of the plan. - October 4, 2025
