Trump tells Israel to cease bombing Gaza and says Hamas is ready for peace.
After Hamas stated it was ready to liberate hostages under Trump’s ceasefire offer, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he thought Hamas was ready for “lasting peace” and demanded Israel to stop bombing Gaza.
Trump’s declaration was the first time since he took office in January that he has clearly told Israel, a key US ally, to stop bombing. Israel has not yet responded.
“I think Hamas is ready for a long-lasting PEACE based on the statement they recently made. Israel needs to stop bombing Gaza right away so we can get the hostages out fast and safely! Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Right now, it’s just too risky to do that. We are already talking about the details that need to be sorted out. This isn’t only about Gaza; it’s about the long-awaited PEACE in the Middle East.
Trump and the White House both posted the Hamas message on social media, which is something that practically never happens for a US president.
Later, Trump posted a short video in which he praised Hamas’s statement and thanked US friends like Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Jordan for helping to mediate.
Trump added from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, “This is a very special day, maybe unprecedented.” He also said, “I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents.”
“FAIRLY TREATED”
Trump has said many times that recovering the hostages that Hamas took during its raid on Israel on October 7, 2023, is very important to him. He has also worked hard to get a settlement to stop a conflict that he says Joe Biden started.
In the video, Trump stressed that “everyone will be treated fairly” in the talks for a settlement.
He didn’t say anything, but his reply came while Israel wasn’t saying anything about Hamas’s statement.
Axios news claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “surprised” by Trump’s answer and that it thought Hamas’s statement did not meet important parts of Trump’s peace proposal.
On Monday, Netanyahu met with Trump at the White House when he announced the 20-point plan. At that time, he stressed that Hamas had to follow all of its parts.
Hamas had until late Sunday to respond to Trump’s peace plan, or else they would go to “hell.”
Hamas said it was “encouraging” that Trump told Israel to stop attacking Gaza.
But Mahmoud Mardawi, a high-ranking Hamas official, told AFP on Friday that Trump’s plan was “vague, unclear, and lacks clarity.”