President Donald Trump announced from the Oval Office on Friday that Hamas has agreed to his demand to release all remaining hostages and relinquish control of Gaza, calling the development an “unprecedented” and significant step toward peace in the Middle East.
Hamas stated it’s ready to comply with the terms of Trump’s proposed ceasefire, which would require the group to immediately release all captives and transfer Gaza’s authority to an “International Stabilization Force,” led by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
However, the militant group’s acceptance is conditional on Palestinian groups reaching a joint position after the deal secured the endorsement of regional Arab and Muslim nations.
A “Very Special Day”
“I just want to let you know that this is a very special day, maybe unprecedented in many ways. It is unprecedented,” Trump said. He credited a unified global effort for the breakthrough. “Everybody was unified in wanting this war to end and seeing peace in the Middle East. And we’re very close to achieving that.”
The President specifically thanked allied nations for their coordinated pressure, naming Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan among those that helped “put this together.”
“This is a big day,” Trump added. “We’ll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down in concrete. Very importantly, I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents…”
The Ultimatum: Accept by Sunday or Face “All HELL”
Despite the positive announcement, Trump emphasized the urgent need for a concrete agreement, having issued an ultimatum to Hamas earlier in the day via his Truth Social platform. The group must formally accept the ceasefire framework by Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern or lose the deal entirely.
“If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas,” Trump wrote, underscoring the high-stakes nature of the ongoing negotiations.
The announcement comes as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen. United Nations data indicates that more than 33,000 Palestinians have been displaced by Israeli operations, with nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population on the brink of famine amid daily mass casualty events. Palestinians in Gaza have reportedly pleaded with Hamas to accept the terms, hoping to end years of instability and conflict.
Trump’s plan for a post-Hamas Gaza calls for Palestinian experts to participate in governing under the new international body.
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