UPDATE: Hamas has agreed to release the remaining hostages. The Associated Press reports:
Hamas responded Friday to President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip, agreeing to give up power and release all remaining hostages, but the group said that other elements require further consultations among Palestinians.
Trump’s peace plan has been accepted by Israel and was welcomed internationally after it was unveiled alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week.
Original Article: On Monday, President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a peace plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas and bring peace and stability to the Gaza Strip. On Friday, Trump announced a deadline for Hamas to accept the deal: Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern.
In one of his characteristically epic Truth Social posts, Trump wrote:
Hamas has been a ruthless and violent threat, for many years, in the Middle East! They have killed (and made lives unbearably miserable), culminating with the October 7th MASSACRE, in Israel, babies, woman, children, old people, and many young men and women, boys and girls, getting ready to celebrate their future lives together. As retribution for the October 7th attack on civilization, more than 25,000 Hamas “soldiers” have already been killed. Most of the rest are surrounded and MILITARILY TRAPPED, just waiting for me to give the word, “GO,” for their lives to be quickly extinguished. As for the rest, we know where and who you are, and you will be hunted down, and killed. I am asking that all innocent Palestinians immediately leave this area of potentially great future death for safer parts of Gaza. Everyone will be well cared for by those that are waiting to help. Fortunately for Hamas, however, they will be given one last chance! Great, powerful, and very rich Nations of the Middle East, and the surrounding areas beyond, together with the United States of America, have agreed, with Israel signing on, to PEACE, after 3000 years, in the Middle East. THIS DEAL ALSO SPARES THE LIVES OF ALL REMAINING HAMAS FIGHTERS! The details of the document are known to the WORLD, and it is a great one for ALL! We will have PEACE in the Middle East one way or the other. The violence and bloodshed will stop. RELEASES THE HOSTAGES, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THE BODIES OF THOSE THAT ARE DEAD, NOW! An Agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time. Every Country has signed on! If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
The peace plan requires Hamas to give up power and disarm itself. It must also release all remaining living hostages and the bodies of deceased hostages. In return, Israel would withdraw and cease defensive operations in the area.
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“Trump appears keen to deliver on pledges to end the war and return dozens of hostages ahead of the second anniversary of the attack on Tuesday,” the Associated Press reports. “His peace plan has been accepted by Israel and welcomed internationally, but key mediators Egypt and Qatar, and at least one Hamas official, have said some elements need further negotiation, without elaborating.”
Under the plan, Gaza would fall under international governance with Trump and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it. The agreement would allow for humanitarian aid to flow freely into the region as well as for eventual reconstruction.
Next week is the second anniversary of Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel, which started this war. Representatives of Hamas have said that they see areas in the plan that need improvement, but Trump has thrown down the gauntlet.
Will Hamas accept? What will happen next? You know we’ll be watching to see what takes place.
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