Hamas weighs its response to Trump's Gaza peace proposal - media
Kyiv • UNN
Hamas negotiators stated that they would conscientiously consider the "peace plan" proposed by US President Donald Trump and provide a response. The plan envisages an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of hostages for prisoners, and the disarmament of Hamas.
Hamas negotiators said they would consider the "peace plan" proposed by US President Donald Trump and respond. This was reported by Reuters by an official informed about the negotiations, according to UNN.
Hamas negotiators said they would consider it in good faith and respond.
US President Donald Trump warned Hamas that if his proposal was rejected, Israel would receive full US support to take any action it deemed necessary.
The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire, the exchange of all hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, and the establishment of a transitional government led by an international organization.
Hamas did not officially respond to Trump's proposal on Tuesday, and it is unclear what is new in it, apart from the broad support for the initiative from Arab and Muslim countries.
Many elements of the 20 points have been included in numerous ceasefire agreements proposed over the past two years, including those that were accepted and then rejected at various stages by both Israel and Hamas.
A source close to Hamas told Reuters that the plan was "completely biased towards Israel" and put forward "unfeasible conditions" aimed at destroying the group.
"Trump proposed full acceptance of all Israeli conditions that do not grant the Palestinian people or the residents of the Gaza Strip any legitimate rights," a Palestinian official who wished to remain anonymous told Reuters.
The publication notes that it is unclear how Hamas will formulate its response, as an outright rejection could put it at odds with a group of Arab and Muslim countries that welcomed the plan.
The foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt issued a joint statement on Monday welcoming Trump's proposal and emphasizing what they called "the president's sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza."
Context
A ceasefire proposal for Gaza, put forward by the US on Tuesday, depended on Hamas's reaction to a 20-point plan that President Donald Trump said was "closer" to ending the two-year conflict in the enclave.
Mediators Qatar and Egypt handed the document to Hamas late Monday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood alongside Trump at the White House and declared his support for the proposal, saying it met Israel's military objectives.
It is unclear what dispelled Netanyahu's previous concerns about some elements of the proposal.
Hamas did not participate in the rounds of negotiations that preceded Trump's plan, which calls for the Islamist militant group to disarm, although this demand had been rejected previously.