U.S. Proposes Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Exchange Plan

Anadolu Agency

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday called on Palestinian group Hamas to act swiftly in ongoing hostage release and peace negotiations in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking on Truth Social, Trump said: “I appreciate that Israel has temporarily halted its bombing to give the hostage release and peace deal a chance to be completed. Hamas must move quickly, or all bets are off.”

Hamas had announced a day earlier its willingness to release all Israeli captives, both alive and dead, and to hand over Gaza’s administration to an independent Palestinian authority composed of technocrats. The group emphasised that the enclave’s future and Palestinian rights must be addressed within a broader national Palestinian framework.

Trump added that he would not tolerate delays and that everyone would be treated fairly. On Friday, he gave Hamas until 6 pm Washington time (2200 GMT) on Sunday to approve his plan.

The plan seeks to turn Gaza into a weapons-free zone, with a transitional governance mechanism overseen directly by Trump through a new international body tasked with monitoring implementation. It includes the release of all Israeli captives held by Hamas within 72 hours of approval, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

It also calls for a halt to hostilities, the disarmament of all armed groups in Gaza, and Israel’s gradual withdrawal from the coastal enclave, which would be governed by a technocratic authority under the supervision of the U.S.-led international body.

Despite Trump’s call for an immediate cessation of bombardment, Israel continued air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 29 Palestinians, according to sources and medics.

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