Israel announced Saturday it is ready to launch the “first phase” of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, just hours after Hamas signaled willingness to enter negotiations on releasing hostages.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called the move a step toward ending the nearly two-year-long war but avoided Trump’s demand that Israel “immediately stop bombing Gaza.”
Israel signals readiness
“In light of Hamas’s response, Israel is preparing to immediately implement the first phase of Trump’s plan for the release of all hostages,” Netanyahu’s office said. It pledged full cooperation with Trump and his team while keeping to Israel’s own conditions.
The statement came shortly after Trump gave Hamas until Sunday evening to respond or face “dire consequences.” Hamas said it accepted parts of the plan, including a hostage release, but insisted that negotiations on Gaza’s governance and disarmament were still necessary.
Military on high alert
Israel’s army said senior commanders met overnight to prepare for the “sensitive implementation” of the plan. Southern Command forces were ordered to remain on high alert, while reports suggested the military was instructed to minimize activity in Gaza and suspend its planned advance on Gaza City.
What the ‘first phase’ includes
While details are still under discussion, the opening stage of Trump’s 20-point proposal is believed to cover:
- Immediate release of all Israeli hostages in Gaza, alive and deceased.
- Parallel release of about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
- Preparations for a phased Israeli military withdrawal.
- Initial steps toward establishing Gaza’s post-war administration.
Trump has tied hostage release to an immediate halt in Israeli bombings, but Netanyahu’s office sidestepped that condition in its statement.
Hamas’s stance
Hamas told mediators it was ready to begin negotiations on the exchange of hostages and proposed handing Gaza’s administration to a Palestinian technocratic authority backed by Arab and Islamic states.
However, the group rejected Trump’s idea of an international “Board of Peace” and refused to disarm — a core Israeli and U.S. demand.
Pressure mounts on Netanyahu
The war, sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 taken hostage, has left Gaza devastated. Local health authorities say more than 66,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israel’s offensive. The UN and rights groups accuse Israel of genocide, which it denies.
Families of Israeli hostages have ramped up calls for Netanyahu to act immediately, urging the government to prioritize negotiations for their loved ones’ return.
