Hamas’s agreement to release the remaining hostages, contingent upon negotiations and the fulfillment of specific conditions, offers a glimmer of hope to the families in Israel who have long awaited such news.
In its statement addressing the US peace proposal, the group has consented to “release all Israeli prisoners, both living and deceased, according to the exchange formula contained in President Donald Trump’s proposal, provided the field conditions for the exchange are met”.
That formula, as outlined by Trump at the White House earlier this week, suggests an immediate cessation of hostilities and the release within 72 hours of all living Israeli hostages held by Hamas, along with the remains of deceased hostages, in exchange for the release of hundreds of detained Palestinians.
It is believed that 48 hostages remain in the Palestinian territory under the control of the armed group, with only 20 presumed to be alive.
The acceptance by Hamas of another pivotal element of the US peace plan – the transfer of governance of Gaza to Palestinian technocrats – is also a noteworthy development.
However, several other components of the comprehensive, 20-point proposal are conspicuously absent from the statement.
Most notably, the requirement for Hamas to disarm is not addressed.
The Israeli government will now meticulously analyze the statement’s wording to ascertain the true intentions of Hamas.
A key decision will be made as to whether this signals a genuine acceptance in good faith of some of the deal’s key points, or merely an attempt to stall and prolong negotiations.
The final paragraph of the Hamas statement, suggesting the group would maintain a role in negotiations regarding the long-term future of Gaza, is certain to be met with disapproval.
Considering the Hamas statement was issued just hours after President Donald Trump’s ultimatum for the group to agree by Sunday evening or face severe consequences, some members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet are likely to view it with skepticism.
This is especially true given the US president’s call for Israel to immediately cease bombing Gaza.
“Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE,” Trump said shortly after the Hamas statement was released.
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly,” he said. “Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that.”
In a video message released later on Friday, Trump described it as a “big day” and expressed gratitude to several countries he credited with assisting in formulating the proposal.
However, significant details remain to be addressed before peace in the region becomes a tangible reality. The president appeared to acknowledge that a final agreement has not yet been reached.
“We’ll see how it all turns out,” he said. “We have to get the final word down and concrete.”
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