On October 3 (US time), US President Donald Trump said Hamas had shown goodwill towards peace after the group responded to Washington's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. Mr. Trump said Hamas agreed to return hostages and implement some terms, but the issue of dis armament and withdrawal has not yet been agreed upon.
On the Truth Social platform, Mr. Trump wrote: Israel must immediately stop bombing Gaza so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly. This is not just a story about Gaza, but about lasting peace in the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office later affirmed that it would coordinate with the US to implement the plan according to the principles set out by Israel. However, some leaders in Netanyahu's right-wing coalition still opposed the stop of the military campaign.
Meanwhile, people in Gaza said Israel was still conducting airstrikes in Gaza City and Khan Younis immediately after Mr. Trump's message. Many houses in the Remal area were bombed, but there have been no reports of casualties. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid called on the government to participate in discussions with the US to reach a deal. The hostages' families also put pressure on Netanyahu, demanding immediate talks.
Hamas has affirmed its readiness to enter negotiations through intermediaries for detailed discussions, and agreed to hand over Gaza management to an independent Palestinian agency with regional support. However, the group has not made a clear commitment to de-escalation of the armament or giving up its political role in Gaza.
France urges all parties to closely follow Hamas' pledges. Meanwhile, Qatar and Egypt are working with the US to continue negotiations. Mr Trump's plan mentioned an immediate ceasefire, a hostage exchange with Palestinian prisoners, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a move towards the Hamas ceasefire and the establishment of an international interim government.
The conflict has now killed more than 66,000 people in Gaza according to local health agencies, while Israel continues to claim that military action is self-defense against Hamas attacks.
