Hamas has officially submitted its response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, signalling a major shift in the ongoing negotiations to end the conflict.
According to reports by Al Jazeera and later confirmed by Reuters, Hamas has agreed in principle to release all Israeli hostages — both living and deceased — and to transfer administrative control of the Gaza Strip to an independent council of Palestinian technocrats. The proposed new administration, Hamas stated, should be based on national Palestinian consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic nations.
While Hamas did not explicitly confirm its acceptance of disarmament, it stressed that all issues concerning Gaza’s future and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people should be addressed through a unified national framework, in accordance with international law. The group expressed readiness to begin new negotiations through mediators to define the agreement’s details.
Qatar reportedly played a crucial role in persuading President Trump to extend the deadline for Hamas’s response until Sunday, after the U.S. leader had initially demanded a reply by Friday, warning that time was running out.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas described this stage as “critical and decisive” for the Palestinian cause and reaffirmed plans to hold general elections one year after a ceasefire is achieved.
Hamas’s response marks a turning point in efforts to end the war in Gaza and could pave the way for a landmark agreement under U.S. and Qatari mediation.
