Hamas seeks more time on Trump’s Gaza peace plan
Hamas has said it needs additional time to consider a peace plan for Gaza put forward by US president Donald Trump and endorsed by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump on Tuesday gave the Islamist movement “three or four days” to accept his proposal, which calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages within 72 hours, Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal. The plan also envisages a transitional authority led by Trump himself, with backing from Arab and Western powers.
A Hamas official told AFP the group was still holding consultations and had informed mediators that discussions were ongoing. Mohammad Nazzal, a senior political bureau member, acknowledged the plan raised “points of concern” but stressed the group’s seriousness about reaching an agreement.
Sources close to Hamas say internal divisions persist, with some leaders favouring unconditional approval to secure a ceasefire, while others oppose disarmament and expulsions, pushing instead for conditional acceptance.
The war, triggered by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 assault on Israel that killed 1,219 people, has since claimed over 66,000 Palestinian lives in Gaza, according to figures deemed credible by the UN. Humanitarian agencies warn the situation in the besieged enclave remains “catastrophic”.
Smoke in Gaza city © Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP