A fragile step towards peace in Gaza
New Delhi, Oct 4: For the first time since the war in Gaza began two years ago, Hamas has signalled it may accept elements of a peace deal. On October 3rd the militant group issued a statement responding to Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for the Strip’s future. The plan, unveiled earlier in the week alongside Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, the disarmament of Hamas and a transitional authority to run Gaza.
Hamas’s response fell short of full acceptance. Yet it offered more concessions than many had expected. The group said it would release all Israeli hostages, both the living and the remains of those killed, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. It also declared its readiness to hand governing power in Gaza to a technocratic Palestinian body, provided this was backed by Arab and Islamic states. These two commitments touch the core demands of Washington and other mediators.
But Hamas stopped short of the two pillars of Trump’s proposal: it made no mention of disarmament, nor of relinquishing any future political role in Gaza. A senior official later told Al Jazeera as quoted by the Guardian that the group would never disarm while Israel maintained its military presence in the enclave. Those caveats could yet derail the talks.
US President Trump, however, was upbeat. In a post on Truth Social, he declared Hamas “ready for a lasting PEACE” and urged Israel to halt its bombardment to allow for the safe release of hostages. He described the day as “very special”, insisting that “everybody will be treated fairly”. His self-confidence may not be misplaced: unlike the Biden administration, President Trump has openly tied his personal prestige to the plan, casting himself as the indispensable broker.
Israel’s government, too, issued a cautiously positive response. PM Netanyahu’s office said Israel was ready for the “immediate implementation” of the first stage of the deal: the release of hostages. But the statement conspicuously avoided Trump’s call for a halt to bombing. On Saturday, media reports suggest that Israeli forces had carried out half-a-dozen of strikes on Gaza City and elsewhere, killing at least six people, including two children.
President Trump’s plan envisages not only a truce but also a sweeping reshaping of Gaza’s governance. A technocratic Palestinian committee would run the Strip under the oversight of an international “Board of Peace” led by Mr Trump and joined by figures such as Tony Blair, Britain’s former prime minister. The plan leaves open the possibility of a Palestinian state—something Mr Netanyahu flatly rejected again this week.
In Israel, opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Yair Golan urged PM Netanyahu to embrace the plan, warning that neither Hamas nor the government should be allowed to sabotage it. Among Palestinians, even those long weary of Hamas see the release of hostages and an influx of aid as urgent priorities. The Strip, flattened by Israeli bombardment, is experiencing famine in parts. Hamas’s cautious nod has raised hopes, however fragile, that the war’s bloodiest chapter may be drawing to a close. But the obstacles remain formidable: Israel demands Hamas’s disarmament; Hamas demands Israel’s withdrawal. US President Trump, ever the showman, insists he alone can square the circle. For now, a new hope flickers as Hamas softens stance on Gaza deal.
