Hamas says it has agreed to release all Israeli hostages and return the remains of the deceased under Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.
The announcement comes just hours after the US president threatened to unleash ‘all hell’ on the jihadists if they did not agree to his peace proposal which was backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
‘In this context, the movement affirms its readiness to immediately enter into negotiations through the mediators to discuss the details of this agreement,’ Hamas said in a statement on Telegram.
Hamas also agreed to hand over administrative control of Gaza to an independent body of Palestinian technocrats. Hamas claimed those technocrats will be ‘based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support.’
The terror group appears to have rejected Trump’s proposed chairmanship of a ‘Board of Peace’ that would rule over Gaza, with other leaders such as ex-British prime minister Tony Blair suggested as members.
The Islamist terrorists said that other elements of Trump’s 20-point peace plan regarding the future of Gaza ‘will be discussed through a comprehensive Palestinian national framework in which Hamas will participate and contribute responsibly.’
There was no immediate comment from Trump or the White House. Trump is set to respond to Hamas hostage deal acceptance from the Oval Office later today, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The jihadists praised Trump in its announcement, writing: ‘Hamas appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of US President Donald Trump, calling for stopping the war on the Gaza Strip, exchanging prisoners, immediate entry of aid, rejecting the occupation of the Strip, and rejecting the displacement of our Palestinian people from it.’
Hamas currently holds 20 remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip, along with the bodies of 28 deceased hostages.
Trump and Netanyahu at the White House on Monday
Hamas claimed that it will hand over control of Gaza to a group of Palestinian technocrats
Hamas’ statement comes a few hours after Trump issued a warning on Truth Social demanding the group accept his peace plan outlined earlier this week.
Trump threatened that ‘all hell’ will break out on the militants if they did not accept his plan by 6pm on Sunday. The deal includes that all remaining hostages are released within 72 hours of an agreement.
Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday: ‘Hamas has been a ruthless and violent threat, for many years, in the Middle East! They have killed (and made lives unbearably miserable), culminating with the October 7th MASSACRE, in Israel, babies, woman, children, old people, and many young men and women, boys and girls, getting ready to celebrate their future lives together.’
Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday at the White House along with some of his top cabinet officials, and agreed on a new peace deal for Gaza.
The White House released a 20-point plan, which included increasing aid to Gaza and an economic development proposal that includes preferred tariffs and access rates.
Parts of the proposal call for a complete disarmament of Hamas followed by a gradual and complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The plan also outlines that a post-war Gaza will be governed by Trump himself.
Hamas appears to disagree with Trump’s plan to rule over the Gaza strip by handing over control to a group of Palestinian technocrats.
Trump added on Truth Social on Friday: ‘Great, powerful, and very rich Nations of the Middle East, and the surrounding areas beyond, together with the United States of America, have agreed, with Israel signing on, to PEACE, after 3000 years, in the Middle East.’
‘THIS DEAL ALSO SPARES THE LIVES OF ALL REMAINING HAMAS FIGHTERS! The details of the document are known to the WORLD, and it is a great one for ALL! We will have PEACE in the Middle East one way or the other. The violence and bloodshed will stop.’
Trump’s 20-point peace plan
- Gaza will become a terror-free zone with all militant groups dismantled so it does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
- Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough
- If both sides accept the deal, hostilities would stop immediately. Israeli forces would halt operations and withdraw to a set line while the truce holds.
- Within 72 hours of Israel agreeing, all hostages would be released, alive or deceased.
- Once all hostages are returned, Israel would release 250 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians detained after October 7, 2023. It would also return the remains of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli hostage.
- Hamas fighters who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty once all hostages are returned. Fighters who refuse would be allowed to leave Gaza safely for other countries.
- Large-scale aid would enter Gaza immediately after agreement. This would include water, electricity, sewage repair, hospital rehabilitation, and rubble clearance.
- Relief would be delivered through the UN, Red Crescent and other neutral international bodies. The Rafah crossing would be reopened under this system.
- A transitional technocratic committee made up of Palestinians and international experts would run Gaza. Oversight would be provided by a new international ‘Board of Peace’ chaired by Donald Trump, with other leaders such as former British prime minister Tony Blair suggested as members.
- An international panel of experts would create a plan for Gaza’s economic redevelopment. The plan would draw on experience from major Middle East projects.
- A special economic zone will be established, with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.
- No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. People will be encouraged to stay to help build Gaza.
- Hamas and other factions would not take part in Gaza’s governance. Their direct or indirect involvement in running the territory would be banned. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels will be destroyed and not rebuilt. Independent monitors will supervise the demilitarization of Gaza.
- A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.
- An International Stabilization Force would deploy to Gaza to train vetted Palestinian police. It would also help secure borders with Israel and Egypt in coordination with Jordan and Egypt.
- Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens.
- In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.
- An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.
- While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.
- The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.
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Hamas AGREES to hand over all hostages under Trump peace plan for Gaza: President to address nation
