Hamas Agrees To Release Israeli Hostages, Seeks Changes To US-Gaza Peace Plan

Militant Palestinian group Hamas has responded to the US ceasefire proposals by accepting them in part but seeking further negotiations on a number of key points.

In a statement, the movement said it agreed “to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal” – if field conditions for the exchanges were met.

But it appears to suggest it is seeking further negotiation on other issues regarding the future of the Gaza Strip and the rights of the Palestinian people, saying that they are still being discussed.

The announcement comes hours after US President Donald Trump gave Hamas a deadline of 18:00 Washington time (22:00 GMT) on Sunday to accept a US peace plan for Gaza or face “all hell”.

The peace plan proposes an immediate end to fighting and the release within 72 hours of 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas – as well as the remains of hostages thought to be dead – in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans.

In a statement, Hamas said it also “renewed its agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats), based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support.”

But it added that the part of the proposals dealing with the future of Gaza and the rights of Palestinian people was still being discussed “within a national framework”.

Earlier on Friday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER,” Trump wrote in the Truth Social post.

On Tuesday, Trump had said that he was giving Hamas “three to four days” to respond to the peace plan.

There are believed to be 48 hostages still being held in the Palestinian territory by the armed group, only 20 of whom are thought to be alive.

In a briefing at the White House on Friday afternoon, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the consequences of turning down the deal would be “very grave” for Hamas.

“I think that the entire world should hear the president of the United States loud and clear,” Leavitt added. “Hamas has an opportunity to accept this plan and move forward in a peaceful and prosperous manner in the region. If they don’t, the consequences, unfortunately, are going to be very tragic.”

The 20-point plan, agreed by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and announced by both at the White House on Monday, also says Hamas will have no role in governing Gaza, and leaves the door open for an eventual Palestinian state.

However, Netanyahu later reinstated his long standing opposition to a Palestinian state, saying in a video statement shortly after the announcement: “It’s not written in the agreement. We said we would strongly oppose a Palestinian state.”

The plan stipulates that once both sides agree to the proposal, “full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip”.

It also outlines a plan for the future governance of Gaza, saying a “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee” will govern temporarily “with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, called the Board of Peace”, which it says will be headed by Trump.

European and Middle Eastern leaders have welcomed the proposal. The Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has called the US president’s efforts “sincere and determined”.

Pakistan initially voiced support for the plan, but the country’s foreign minister has since said the points announced were not in line with a draft from a group of Muslim-majority countries, BBC Urdu and Reuters reported.

Trump has said that if Hamas does not agree to the plan, Israel would have US backing to “finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas”.

Netanyahu has also said Israel “will finish the job” if Hamas rejects the plan or does not follow through.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

In the 24 hours before Friday midday, 63 people were killed by Israeli military operations, the health ministry said.