ALBAWABA – Hamas has sent its official response to U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza. It says it is willing to work out the details through intermediaries.
The group said in a statement that it had held "extensive consultations" and agreed in principle to free all prisoners, both living and dead, as long as the fighting stopped and Israeli troops left. Hamas also said it was ready to hand over control of Gaza to an independent Palestinian group that would be formed by agreement and supported by Arab and Islamic countries.
The movement did stress, though, that things like Gaza's long-term future and Palestinian national rights need to be talked about in a larger Palestinian context.
Mohammed Nazzal, a Hamas official, told Al Jazeera that the group's response shows that it is dedicated to protecting Palestinian interests and "fundamental principles," and that it will not give in to threats or outside pressure. He said that Hamas wants to make peace to stop what it calls genocide in Gaza, adding that "time is blood."
Trump gave Hamas until Sunday to respond. He warned on Truth Social that this was the group's "last chance" and threatened "unprecedented hell" if a deal was not reached. The White House has called the proposal "reasonable" and asked Hamas to accept it as part of the effort to make the Middle East "more peaceful."
The plan, which was made public on September 29, calls for an immediate ceasefire, a program to rebuild Gaza, and a change in the way Gaza's politics and security work.
