Trump Welcomes Hamas' Response to Ceasefire and Prisoner-Exchange Proposal

US President Donald Trump has expressed his support for Hamas' response to his ceasefire and prisoner-exchange proposal, stating that he believes the Palestinian group is "ready for a lasting peace." In a video message and a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized the importance of a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Middle East. He also thanked several countries, including Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, for their support in facilitating the proposal.

The Hamas response, which was formally delivered to mediators on Friday, approved the release of all Israeli captives, the delivery of the bodies of the deceased, and the handover of Gaza's administration to an independent technocratic Palestinian body. However, the group did raise several concerns and tied its response to a unified national position based on relevant international laws and resolutions.

Key Takeaways:

• Hamas has formally responded to Trump's ceasefire and prisoner-exchange proposal, approving the release of all Israeli captives and the delivery of the bodies of the deceased.
• The proposal seeks to turn Gaza into a weapons-free zone, with a transitional governance mechanism overseen directly by Trump through a new international body.
• Israel estimates that 48 Israeli captives are in Gaza, including 20 alive, while around 11,100 Palestinians are held in its prisons, suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect.
• The Palestinian group values "the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as those of US President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, a prisoner exchange, the immediate entry of aid, the rejection of the occupation of the Strip, and the rejection of the displacement of our Palestinian people from it."
• Trump has given Hamas until 6 pm Washington time on Sunday to approve the plan, which includes the release of all Israeli captives within 72 hours and a halt to hostilities.
• The proposal would establish a technocratic authority in Gaza, overseen by an international body led by the US president, and would mark the beginning of a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the coastal enclave.

Statistics:

• Nearly 2.4 million people live in Gaza, which has been under Israeli blockade for nearly 18 years.
• Israel estimates that 48 Israeli captives are in Gaza, including 20 alive.
• Around 11,100 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect.
• Since October 2023, Israeli bombardment has killed nearly 66,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
• The UN and rights groups have repeatedly warned that Gaza is being rendered uninhabitable, with starvation and disease spreading rapidly amid widespread displacement.

Sources:

• Anadolu Ajansi
• Bernama
• Telegram (Hamas statement)
• Palestinian and Israeli media and rights reports