Hamas signals hostage release, Trump presses Israel to halt strikes

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday called on Israel to immediately halt bombing in Gaza after Hamas announced it would release hostages and accept major provisions of a U.S.-brokered peace plan. The move marks the most significant breakthrough in two years of war, though critical issues such as Hamas’ disarmament and Israel’s withdrawal remain unresolved.

“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly!” Trump declared on his Truth Social platform. He added that Hamas' response showed it was “ready for a lasting PEACE” and insisted the onus was now on Israel to cooperate.

Hamas official response, seen by Reuters, endorsed prisoner exchanges, the immediate entry of humanitarian aid, and negotiations on a transitional administration for Gaza. The group indicated readiness to hand control of the enclave to a technocratic Palestinian body supported by Arab and Islamic states, but it did not commit to disarmament, a key demand of both Israel and Washington.

Trump’s 20-point peace blueprint calls for an immediate ceasefire, full hostage-prisoner exchanges, a staged Israeli withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, and an internationally supervised transitional government. Qatar and Egypt, who have been acting as mediators, confirmed they were working with Washington to advance talks.In its response to Trump's plan, Hamas said it "appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, (and) the immediate entry of aid," among other terms.

Netanyahu’s office confirmed Israel was preparing for “immediate implementation” of the first phase of Trump’s plan, which prioritizes the release of Israeli hostages. Israeli media reported that the government instructed the military to scale back offensive activity, though residents in Gaza said strikes continued in parts of Gaza City and Khan Younis on Friday night.

The war, triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, assault on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken, has since killed more than 66,000 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to local health authorities. Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of them alive.

Trump, who earlier warned that “all HELL” would break out if Hamas failed to respond by Sunday, has invested significant political capital in resolving the conflict, portraying himself as the only leader capable of securing peace in the Middle East.

While families of Israeli hostages and international mediators welcome Hamas’ acceptance of Trump’s framework, Netanyahu faces pressure from hardline members of his coalition to continue military operations. The coming days will determine whether Trump’s push for an immediate ceasefire can translate into a concrete breakthrough.