Hamas Gives Conditional Nod to Trump Plan as Abbas Outlines Post-War Vision with Strict Conditions [Updated]
Newer Update
The Palestinian group Hamas has delivered its official response to a high-stakes peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, offering a conditional agreement just days before a harsh deadline. The group signaled its acceptance of key components related to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. Still, it stipulated that broader political questions concerning the future of Gaza must be addressed through a unified Palestinian national consensus based on international law.
The move came on the same day that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a primary address from Ramallah, laid out a detailed roadmap for post-war governance, including a commitment to elections within a year, but with stringent conditions that appear to challenge Hamas's role in any future political landscape directly.
According to a report by Al Jazeera on Friday, a source within the Hamas movement confirmed that the group's response had been submitted to mediators. "Driven by a desire to halt the aggression, we conducted extensive consultations to reach a responsible position on Trump's plan in a way that achieves a cessation of the war and a complete withdrawal," the source told the Qatari news channel. "We announce our agreement to the release of all prisoners, both living and the bodies of the deceased, in accordance with Trump's proposal."
However, Hamas's acceptance comes with significant caveats. The group clarified that its initial approval does not extend to elements of the plan that would predetermine the future governance of the Gaza Strip. "Other issues in President Trump's proposal...are linked to a comprehensive national position," the source stated. "These will be discussed through a comprehensive Palestinian national framework, of which Hamas will be a part and contribute to responsibly."
The response comes amid intense pressure from Washington. Earlier in the evening, President Trump issued a stark ultimatum, giving Hamas until Sunday at 6:00 PM to formally accept his plan. Trump threatened to "open the gates of hell on Hamas" if the deadline was not met and advised residents of Gaza to flee to designated "safe zones" in the event of a rejection.
In a significant parallel development, according to the Wafa News Agency, the President Mahmoud Abbas asserted the Palestinian Authority's vision for the "day after." In a statement, Abbas reaffirmed his "commitment to holding general presidential and parliamentary elections within one year after the end of the war."
However, he laid out strict prerequisites for participation, stating that "no party, political force, or individual may run for office unless they commit to the political program and the international and legal obligations of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the implementation of the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, the resolutions of international legitimacy, and the principle of one system, one law, and one legitimate security force." These conditions are widely seen as a direct challenge to Hamas, which is not a member of the PLO and does not formally recognize the two-state solution.
Abbas also announced a series of sweeping reforms aimed at aligning the future State of Palestine with international norms, including:
A Temporary Constitution: Competent authorities have been tasked with drafting a temporary constitution within three months to manage the "transition from authority to state."
Curriculum Modernization: The government was instructed to align educational curricula with UNESCO standards within two years, emphasizing "the values of peace and the rejection of violence and incitement."
Reform of Prisoner and Martyr Payments: Abbas affirmed the commitment to implementing a new law (Law No. 4 of 2025) that abolishes previous regulations for payments to the families of detainees and those killed or wounded. These will be replaced by a unified system of "social care and protection in accordance with international standards."
As the clock ticks towards Sunday's deadline for the Trump plan, the region is on a knife-edge. While Hamas's conditional acceptance of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange marks a potential breakthrough, the dueling visions for the future of Palestinian governance have laid bare the deep internal divisions. Hamas calls for a national consensus to decide the political future. At the same time, President Abbas has preemptively defined the non-negotiable terms of that future, placing the onus not only on Washington and international mediators but also on the Palestinian factions themselves.
Older Update
The Palestinian group Hamas has delivered its official response to a high-stakes peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, offering a conditional agreement just days before a harsh deadline. The group signaled its acceptance of key components related to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. Still, it stipulated that broader political questions concerning the future of Gaza must be addressed through a unified Palestinian national consensus based on international law.
According to a report by Al Jazeera on Friday, a source within the Hamas movement confirmed that the group's response had been submitted to mediators. "Driven by a desire to halt the aggression, we conducted extensive consultations to reach a responsible position on Trump's plan in a way that achieves a cessation of the war and a complete withdrawal," the source told the Qatari news channel. "We announce our agreement to the release of all prisoners, both living and the bodies of the deceased, in accordance with Trump's proposal." The Hamas official emphasized the group's readiness "to immediately enter into negotiations through mediators to discuss all the details."
However, Hamas's acceptance comes with significant caveats, drawing a clear line between the immediate humanitarian and military aspects of the proposal and the long-term political settlement. The group clarified that its initial approval does not extend to all elements of the plan, particularly those that would predetermine the future governance of the Gaza Strip and the rights of the Palestinian people. "Other issues in President Trump's proposal...are linked to a comprehensive national position," the source stated. "These will be discussed through a comprehensive Palestinian national framework, of which Hamas will be a part and contribute to responsibly."
The response comes amid intense pressure from Washington. Earlier in the evening, President Trump issued a stark ultimatum, giving Hamas until Sunday at 6:00 PM to formally accept his plan, which reportedly includes a demand for the resistance to lay down its arms. Trump threatened to "open the gates of hell on Hamas" if the deadline was not met. In a move that drew widespread criticism, the U.S. President also advised residents of Gaza to flee to designated "safe zones" in the event Hamas rejected the plan, a message that critics say dangerously echoes disputed claims about the existence of genuinely safe areas within the besieged territory.
With the clock ticking towards Sunday's deadline, the conditional nature of Hamas's response places the onus back on international mediators. While an agreement on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange marks a potential breakthrough, the fundamental political questions remain unresolved, leaving the region on a knife-edge as it awaits the American reaction to this nuanced acceptance.