President Donald Trump on Friday urged Israel to immediately stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept several parts of a U.S.-backed peace plan. Some critical issues, including Hamas disarmament, remain unresolved, Reuters reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the country was preparing for the “immediate implementation” of the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan, which focuses on freeing Israeli hostages. Israeli media later reported that the government had ordered the military to scale back offensive operations in Gaza.
Despite this, residents said Israeli tanks and warplanes bombed several areas in Gaza City shortly after Trump’s announcement. Witnesses reported airstrikes on Talateeni Street and the Remal neighborhood, while other attacks hit Khan Younis. No casualties were confirmed.
The Israeli military chief of staff said forces were preparing to carry out the first stage of Trump’s plan but did not mention any reduction in military activity.
Trump gave Hamas until Sunday to accept his 20-point plan or face what he described as “grave consequences.” The U.S. president has presented himself as the only person capable of achieving lasting peace in Gaza after a two-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands and left Israel isolated internationally.
“Hamas has shown it is ready for a lasting peace,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza so we can get the hostages out safely and quickly. This is not just about Gaza — this is about long-sought peace in the Middle East.”
Netanyahu’s office said Israel would continue to cooperate with Trump and his team “to end the war in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which align with President Trump’s vision.”
Domestically, Netanyahu faces growing pressure from families of hostages and the public to end the war, while far-right members of his coalition demand continued military action.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, that killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken, according to Israeli data. Israel says 48 hostages remain, including 20 who are alive. Gaza health officials report that more than 66,000 Palestinians have died since the war began, most of them civilians. The offensive has devastated Gaza’s infrastructure, and aid blockades have caused famine in parts of the enclave.
A U.N. Commission of Inquiry and several human rights experts have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a claim Netanyahu’s government denies, saying it acted in self-defense.
In its response to Trump’s plan, Hamas expressed appreciation for U.S., Arab, and international efforts to end the war, exchange prisoners, and allow immediate aid into Gaza. The group agreed to release all Israeli hostages and remains “under the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal,” Reuters said.
Hamas also signaled readiness to hand over Gaza’s administration to a Palestinian body of independent technocrats, supported by Arab and Islamic nations. However, it did not accept the U.S. and Israeli demand for disarmament or a gradual Israeli withdrawal.
A senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that the group would not give up its weapons before Israel ends its occupation of Gaza, highlighting ongoing disagreements.
Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed that it is coordinating with Egypt and the U.S. to continue mediation efforts on Trump’s Gaza plan.
Trump’s proposal calls for an immediate ceasefire, a full hostage-prisoner exchange, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas disarmament, and a transitional government led by an international body.
Earlier on Friday, Trump warned that “all hell” would break loose if Hamas did not agree to his plan by Sunday evening.