US President Donald Trump has said that he believed Hamas was ready for peace and demanded Israel stop bombing besieged Gaza, after the Palestinian resistance group declared it was ready to free captives under his ceasefire plan.
"Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!" Trump posted on Truth Social.
"Right now, it's far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East."
The White House earlier posted a video appearing to show Trump taping a pre-recorded video message on Gaza, though it remains unclear when it will be released.
Trump also shared Hamas' official response to his Gaza ceasefire plan on Truth Social, first posting the group's English-language statement without comment, then adding his own remarks.
Hamas response
Trump's remarks came after Hamas said it had conducted "broad consultations" with factions, independents and mediators before delivering its response to intermediaries.
Hamas said it appreciated Arab, Islamic and international efforts, including those of Trump, to end the genocide in Gaza.
The group confirmed approval for a framework including the release of all Israeli captives, both living and deceased, within an exchange mechanism; the immediate entry of humanitarian aid; and the rejection of Israel's occupation and displacement of Palestinians.
Hamas also expressed readiness to enter mediated negotiations "immediately" to discuss implementation.
The movement reaffirmed its approval to hand over the administration of Gaza to a Palestinian technocratic body based on national consensus and backed by Arab and Islamic support.
Hamas said broader political questions, including Gaza's long-term status and Palestinian rights, must be addressed within a comprehensive national framework.
Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk said the group had engaged positively with the US proposal.
"The priority is stopping the war and massacres," he said, adding that deciding Gaza's future is a national issue not for Hamas alone.
He confirmed factions had agreed Gaza should be administered by independents under the Palestinian Authority's framework. He also pointed to a parallel Egyptian regional proposal, which Hamas accepted, and urged Washington to respond "positively" to Palestinian needs.
Abu Marzouk cautioned that prisoner exchanges within 72 hours, as stipulated by Trump's plan, were "theoretical and unrealistic under current conditions."
He added Hamas was prepared to hand over weapons to a future Palestine government, stressing "whoever governs Gaza must hold the arms."
Trump's deadline
Trump had given Hamas until Sunday evening Washington time to formally respond, calling it "a last chance" to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
He warned that failure to agree would open "unprecedented hell" for the group.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 66,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
Some 11,000 Palestinians are feared buried under the rubble of their bombed homes. Another 10,000 have been abducted by Israel and dumped in Israeli jails and torture chambers.
But experts and some studies say this is just a tip of an iceberg and the actual Palestinian death toll could be around 200,000.
The UN has declared genocide in Gaza and repeatedly warned Gaza is becoming uninhabitable, with starvation and disease spreading rapidly.
