On Friday, the U.S.-designated terrorist group said it was willing to release hostages and hand over Gaza, a landmark statement boosting Trump’s push for an end to the war. But Hamas used hedged language that some observers saw as problematic to clinching a final peace.A big reason is that Hamas hasn’t reached consensus about disarming and under what conditions to let the hostages go, said Arab officials from countries mediating with Hamas. Those are the two most important demands in Trump’s plan.
Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’s top negotiator, and several other senior political officials support accepting the proposal despite significant reservations, Arab mediators said. But those Hamas officials, based outside Gaza, have limited sway over the group’s armed wing, which remains in the enclave.
Ezzedin al-Haddad, who rose to lead Hamas in Gaza after Israel killedYahya and Mohammed Sinwar, has told mediators he is open to compromise. Mediators said Haddad is willing to give up rockets and other offensive weapons to Egypt and the United Nations for storage but wants to retain small arms such as assault rifles, which Hamas considers defensive.
But Hamas commanders inside Gaza fear they won’t be able to enforce compliance with disarmament demands among fighters if they accept a deal that amounts to surrender, the mediators said. The organization has recruited many young men since the war began, often those who saw their homes destroyed or family members killed. Such fighters might be unwilling to lay down their arms.
The plan’s most contentious points are requirements that Hamas disarm, hand over its weapons and release the 48 Israeli hostages it still holds—alive and dead—within 72 hours of agreeing.
Critics within the group dismiss the proposal as “a 72-hour truce” rather than a genuine peace agreement, reflecting their lack of trust in Israel. Hamas on Friday said it wanted more “negotiations to discuss the details,” which appears to include the release of hostages.
Trump weighed in Friday on social media, saying he believed Hamas “is ready for a lasting PEACE.” He called on Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza” to ensure safe conditions for hostages to be released. His statement reflected agreement in the White House that Hamas had accepted the plan.
But Hamas’s military leaders insisted that any release of hostages must be tied to a clear timeline for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, mediators said. That was reflected in a caveat in Hamas’s response Friday, in which it said hostages would be released “with the provision of necessary field positions.”
Israel might be reluctant to end hostilities after Hamas left the disarmament issue unaddressed in its statement, and with significant conditions on the release of hostages.
On X, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) called Hamas’s response “unfortunately predictable. A classic ‘Yes, but.’”
“No disarmament, keeping Gaza under Palestinian control, and tying hostage release to negotiations, along with other problems,” Graham said. “This is, in essence, a rejection by Hamas of President Trump’s ‘take it or leave it’ proposal.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a qualified reaction of his own to Hamas’s response, saying Israel would begin preparations for the release of hostages held in Gaza and work with Trump to end the war—on Israel and the president’s terms.
Israel’s military didn’t specifically commit to stopping attacks but indicated it was moving to a more defensive posture, saying it would prepare for the release of the hostages and react quickly to any threat.
Some observers said Hamas’s statement was intended to buy time for the group to resolve long-running tensions between its political and military wings. Disagreements over strategy have dogged the group throughout its war with Israel, which began with Hamas’s deadly attacks on southern Israel and the kidnapping of about 250 hostages almost two years ago.
On the battlefield, Hamas is battered but still fighting. The armed wing has lost most of its senior leadership and thousands of experienced fighters. Many of its newer recruits lack training, and Israel’s tightened control over Gaza has strained the group’s ability to communicate and coordinate operations.
To adapt, Hamas has devolved command to smaller units, Arab mediators and Israeli military officials said. These units often act independently, making their own decisions about when and how to attack Israeli forces.
Israeli military officials say Hamas hasn’t given up the fight. They see the group’s command and control as shattered, with small groups acting independently through guerrilla warfare, mainly using explosives, snipers and rocket-propelled grenades.
Israil and a monkey are working together with the ultimate goal of a monkey having Palestine as a base to control all trade between Africa, Europe and Asia. If they cannot take it by force, they will try stealth. This latest plan sees a monkey as the good guy, yet who built all the weapons that have been fired. The good guy will get to rebuild Palestine in their own image. But that is ok, as all the locals will get jobs rebuilding, so long as they have the chip and are vaccinated.
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