In an unexpected and remarkably precise diplomatic manoeuvre, Hamas delivered a calculated response to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the Gaza war — prompting the American leader to issue a public reply in less than an hour.
Priority: Ending the War
Hamas announced its conditional acceptance of only two parts of Trump’s ceasefire plan —
the exchange of prisoners through a mutual deal and the transfer of Gaza’s administration to a Palestinian technocratic government.
These two points, however, were not new. Hamas had already agreed to them in all previous negotiation rounds. Yet this time, the movement reaffirmed its position through the mediators, expressing its readiness to immediately enter talks to discuss the details, while reiterating its willingness to hand over Gaza’s administration to a non-partisan Palestinian authority — based on national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing.
What surprised observers was that Hamas did not amend Trump’s plan, instead treating it as a broad framework for ending the war, postponing every other clause until after a ceasefire. Hebrew media outlets were shocked when Trump accepted this approach. Israel’s Channel 12 noted:
“This is the first time the United States agrees not to demand negotiations under fire.”
The “Explosive Clauses” in Trump’s Plan
Trump’s proposal consisted of 20 articles, foremost among them the disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of a so-called Peace Council — to be overseen by the former British Prime Minister accused of war crimes in Iraq and multiple corruption cases. Other points included allowing Hamas members to leave Gaza once they surrendered their weapons.
For Benjamin Netanyahu, these clauses were meant to serve as both a symbolic victory and a trap — expecting Hamas to reject them, giving him justification to continue the war. Trump repeatedly emphasised disarmament as the central condition for what he called Hamas’ “defeat”.
Yet Hamas did the opposite. It accepted the humanitarian and political components — the prisoners’ exchange and the technocratic administration — while leaving the contentious points to future negotiations. This deft move shifted global attention towards the ceasefire and placed both Israel and the US in a politically awkward position.
In its statement, Hamas clarified:
“Issues in the proposal related to Gaza’s future and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people are subject to a collective national position, based on international law and relevant resolutions. They will be discussed within a comprehensive Palestinian national framework in which Hamas will participate responsibly.”
Trump’s Surprising Reaction
Trump, eager for an international diplomatic breakthrough — perhaps even a Nobel Prize — responded swiftly. He published Hamas’ statement verbatim on official presidential platforms.
The White House republished it as well, notably retaining Hamas’ own terminology such as “genocide” and describing the movement as a “resistance movement” rather than a militant group.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials remained silent for several hours. The shock was evident across Israeli media; outlets described the development as a political earthquake. The Hebrew website Hadashot Zeman wrote that Hamas had “literally flipped the table”, transforming the negotiations into a direct exchange between Hamas and Trump. Other outlets went further, saying “Hamas succeeded in trapping Trump.”
Hamas also closed the door on any talk of international administration for Gaza, insisting that the strip must be governed by Palestinians themselves. It deliberately ignored the disarmament clause, deferring it to later negotiations.
In short, Hamas accepted what it had always accepted and rejected what it had always rejected — but with a refined diplomatic tone that gained it international credibility. The movement reaffirmed that the remaining issues require broad Palestinian consensus, not unilateral decisions.
To Whom Will the Weapons Be Handed Over?
Following Hamas’ statement, senior officials Mousa Abu Marzouk and Osama Hamdan elaborated on the movement’s vision for the next phase and its interpretation of Trump’s proposal.
In a televised interview, Abu Marzouk stated that Hamas would hand over its weapons to the future Palestinian state, explaining that whoever governs Gaza in the coming stage will hold legitimate authority over the territory and its security forces.
“We have agreed in principle to the main outlines of President Trump’s plan,” he said, “but implementation requires detailed negotiations.”
He further confirmed that Hamas is ready to negotiate all issues, including those related to the movement and its weapons, within a national framework.
Abu Marzouk added that there is already a Palestinian consensus on assigning Gaza’s administration to independent figures, under the general reference of the Palestinian Authority, stressing that shaping the nation’s future is a collective decision, not one Hamas will make alone.
Meanwhile, Osama Hamdan firmly rejected the idea of any foreign involvement in governing Gaza, stating:
“We will not accept any foreign administration or foreign forces in Gaza. A national independent body must be formed for this task.”
He added that any attempt to exclude Hamas from the Palestinian political process will fail.
The Ball Is Now in Netanyahu’s Court
Following Trump’s response and his call to halt the bombing of Gaza and pursue regional peace, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a brief statement claiming that Trump’s plan still aligned with Israel’s end-of-war principles.
However, the American news site Axios reported that the Israeli military had already received orders to pause its ground operation in Gaza.
International reactions poured in, praising Hamas’ constructive position and urging both sides to move forward with the plan and end the genocide in Gaza.
All eyes are now on Netanyahu’s government, which finds itself holding the ball.
Under Trump’s proposal, Israel must cease the war immediately and begin a prisoner-exchange process with Hamas through international mediators.
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