Hamas yet to respond on Trump’s Gaza plan

Following the recent unveiling of a 20-point peace plan for Gaza by the U.S. government, Hamas has not yet issued an official response.¹ However, initial reactions from the group and related parties indicate they are currently studying the proposal.²

Here is a summary of the situation:

Hamas’s Position and Initial Reaction:

• A senior Hamas official, Mahmoud Mardawi, has stated that the group has not yet received a formal, written copy of the plan.³
• Hamas’s negotiating team has received the plan from Qatari and Egyptian mediators and has indicated that they will “responsibly” examine the proposal internally and with other Palestinian factions.⁴
• Another Hamas official has criticized the plan, stating that its clauses are “close to the Israeli position” and that the proposal is “vague and without guarantees.”⁵
• Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a close ally of Hamas, has been more dismissive, calling the plan a “recipe to ignite the region.”⁶
• Some Hamas officials have been quoted as saying that the demand for the group to disarm is unacceptable, as they view their weapons as a means for “freedom and independence.”⁷

Details of the Plan:

The proposal, which has been publicly backed by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, includes the following key points:

• Ceasefire and Hostage Release: An immediate end to hostilities.⁸ Within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance, all remaining hostages held by Hamas would be released.⁹ In return, Israel would release a large number of Palestinian prisoners.¹⁰
• Hamas’s Future: The plan demands that Hamas disarm and relinquish political control of Gaza.¹¹ It offers amnesty to members who commit to peaceful coexistence and provides safe passage to other countries for those who wish to leave.¹²
• Post-war Governance: Gaza would be governed by a temporary, technocratic, and apolitical Palestinian committee.¹³ This body would be overseen by a new international “Board of Peace,” chaired by the U.S. President, with other members including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.¹⁴
• Reconstruction: The proposal outlines a U.S.-led economic development plan to rebuild and revitalize Gaza.¹⁵
• Palestinian Statehood: The plan offers a vague and open-ended pathway to a two-state solution, stating that once certain reforms and reconstruction efforts are complete, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”¹⁶

International Reactions:

• The plan has received support from a number of Arab and Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, who have praised the U.S. President’s efforts and pledged to work constructively towards its implementation.¹⁷
• The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has also welcomed the proposal, expressing confidence in the U.S. President’s ability to find a path to peace.¹⁸
• Leaders of key U.S. allies, including the United Kingdom and France, have urged Hamas to accept the plan and end the conflict.¹⁹
• Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has publicly endorsed the plan but has also warned that if Hamas rejects it, Israel “will finish the job” of dismantling the group.²⁰