Hamas ally PIJ backs group’s response

New Delhi, Oct 4: The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a key ally of Hamas, has officially endorsed Hamas’s response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza peace plan, according to the BBC.

PIJ, which also participated in the October 7, 2023 attacks and previously held Israeli hostages, issued a statement saying: “The response provided by the Islamic Resistance Movement ‘Hamas’ to the Trump plan represents the stance of the Palestinian resistance forces.” Hamas has agreed in principle to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza, but has requested negotiations on several elements of the 20-point peace framework proposed by President Trump. According to the BBC, the endorsement by PIJ signals a broader alignment among Palestinian armed groups around Hamas’s conditional acceptance of the plan — a move that could increase pressure on Israel and international mediators to respond.