Desk Report:
The Palestinian independence group Hamas has responded to US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Hamas has agreed to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to Palestinian technocrats and release all prisoners.
In a video address immediately after Hamas’ statement, President Trump said he believed Hamas was ready for a “lasting peace.” At the same time, he called on the Israeli government to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza.”
Following Trump’s call, Israeli army chief of staff Yal Zamir ordered the country’s armed forces to stop operations. However, Israel continued to bomb Gaza. According to Al Jazeera, at least 20 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since early Saturday morning local time.
The Palestinian independence group Hamas has agreed to accept some of the main conditions of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan to end the two-year-old Gaza war. According to a Reuters report, Trump gave Hamas until Sunday to accept his 20-point plan. He also warned that otherwise they would face dire consequences. In response, Hamas gave them a formal response on Friday.
In response to Hamas, Trump expressed hope that Hamas was “ready for lasting peace.” President Trump directly put pressure on the Netanyahu government on his Truth Social, writing, “Israel must immediately stop bombing Gaza so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly!” The president added that this initiative is not just about Gaza, but also about “establishing long-awaited peace in the Middle East.” However, the main complications related to the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli troops remain unresolved.
At least 67,074 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023. About 169,430 people have been injured. Thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble. On the other hand, a total of 1,139 people were killed in Israel in the October 2023 attack and Hamas took 200 hostages.
