The Israeli government on Friday night responded to Hamas’s tentative agreement to President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan by declaring that it is preparing for the “immediate implementation” of the deal’s first phase — the release of all hostages held in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement to Israeli media outlets, confirming Israel’s intention to work closely with Trump on the plan. However, the statement notably stopped short of agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza, which Trump himself has demanded as a precondition for securing the hostages’ release.
“In light of the Hamas response [to the Trump peace plan], Israel is making preparations for the immediate implementation of the first phase of the Trump plan which is the immediate release of all of the hostages,” the statement read.
“We will continue to fully cooperate with the president and his team in order to end the war in accordance with the principles that Israel laid out and which are in line with President Trump’s vision,” it added.
Trump unveiled the 20-point proposal earlier in the week, calling on Hamas to disarm, release hostages, and hand over Gaza’s governance to an independent Palestinian body. In exchange, the United States and Israel would facilitate amnesty for Hamas fighters who disarm and provide safe passage for those willing to leave Gaza. Israel would also be compelled to release thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences.
Signs of Trump’s influence were already visible on the ground by late Friday. According to Israeli Army Radio, the government has instructed military leaders to halt their planned full-scale invasion of Gaza City. Commanders were ordered to scale down offensive operations to the “minimum” and limit activity to defensive measures, effectively pausing Israel’s previous strategy of occupying the city and removing its inhabitants.
The shift comes after Hamas issued a statement earlier Friday signaling it was willing to release all hostages, both dead and alive, “according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal.” But while Hamas’s statement welcomed negotiations through mediators, it stopped short of agreeing to other critical conditions, including full disarmament or relinquishing power in Gaza to an international force.
The divergence in interpretation has created political friction. Trump hailed Hamas’s statement as an “acceptance” of his plan and urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza so hostages could be transferred safely. Netanyahu, however, told confidantes that he considered Hamas’s response closer to a rejection than an acceptance, according to a report from Axios.
Complicating matters further, Hamas resisted Trump’s timeline. The president demanded that all hostages be freed within 72 hours, but Hamas gave no such guarantee, instead tying the release to further discussions about a ceasefire and Israel’s withdrawal of forces.
The mixed signals underscore the delicate nature of Trump’s high-stakes push to bring the war to an end after nearly two years of conflict. While Israel says it is ready to implement the plan’s first phase, it is unclear whether Hamas will go beyond its pledge to free hostages without addressing the larger political and military demands in Trump’s peace framework.
The post Israel Ready for ‘Immediate Implementation’ of Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan After Hamas Agrees to Free Hostages: Netanyahu’s Office appeared first on Real News Now.
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