Hamas announced its agreement to release all Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, in response to the 20-point Gaza peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump earlier this week, according to reports.
“In this context, the movement affirms its readiness to immediately enter into negotiations through the mediators to discuss the details of this agreement,” Hamas said in a statement released on Telegram, cited by Al Jazeera.
The group also declared its willingness to transfer administrative control of Gaza to an independent body of Palestinian technocrats, “based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support.”
Regarding broader issues outlined in Trump’s proposal, Hamas stated: “Other issues mentioned in President Trump’s proposal regarding the future of the Gaza Strip and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people are connected to a unified national position and relevant international laws and resolutions. They will be addressed through a comprehensive Palestinian national framework, in which Hamas will participate and contribute responsibly.”
This development followed a stern warning issued by President Trump on Friday (local time), in which he described Hamas as being “militarily trapped” and presented the peace initiative as the group’s final opportunity to avoid complete destruction. He framed the deal as a rare diplomatic breakthrough, backed by regional and international powers.
“Hamas has been a ruthless and violent threat, for many years, in the Middle East!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They have killed (and made lives unbearably miserable), culminating with the October 7th MASSACRE, in Israel, babies, woman, children, old people, and many young men and women, boys and girls, getting ready to celebrate their future lives together.”
Referring to the scale of military retaliation since the October 7 attack, Trump stated: “As retribution for the October 7th attack on civilisation, more than 25,000 Hamas ‘soldiers’ have already been killed. Most of the rest are surrounded and MILITARILY TRAPPED, just waiting for me to give the word, ‘GO,’ for their lives to be quickly extinguished. As for the rest, we know where and who you are, and you will be hunted down, and killed.”
Trump urged civilians in Gaza to move to safety, saying: “I am asking that all innocent Palestinians immediately leave this area of potentially great future death for safer parts of Gaza. Everyone will be well cared for by those that are waiting to help.”
He underscored the offer as a historic moment: “Fortunately for Hamas, however, they will be given one last chance! Great, powerful, and very rich Nations of the Middle East, and the surrounding areas beyond, together with the United States of America, have agreed, with Israel signing on, to PEACE, after 3000 years, in the Middle East. THIS DEAL ALSO SPARES THE LIVES OF ALL REMAINING HAMAS FIGHTERS!”
Highlighting the breadth of international support for the proposal, Trump wrote: “The details of the document are known to the WORLD, and it is a great one for ALL! We will have PEACE in the Middle East one way or the other. The violence and bloodshed will stop.”
He demanded the immediate release of hostages, stating: “RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THE BODIES OF THOSE THAT ARE DEAD, NOW! An Agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time. Every Country has signed on!”
Issuing a final warning, Trump declared: “If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”
Speaking to reporters on 30 September, Trump previously said that Hamas had “about three or four days” to respond to the proposal. Reiterating the urgency, he added: “All of the Arab countries are signed up. The Muslim countries are all signed up. Israel is all signed up. We’re just waiting for Hamas, and Hamas is either going to be doing it or not, and if it’s not, it’s going to be a very sad end.”
Emphasising the unprecedented nature of the agreement, he said: “We want the hostages back immediately, and we want some good behaviour. You don’t get simpler. We’ve signed every country in the Middle East. This is like an impossible thing that has never been done before. This is more than Gaza.”
The remarks came shortly after the formal unveiling of the peace initiative, which has received support from Israel, several Arab nations, and broader Muslim-majority countries in the region.
