Hamas issued a response to President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire proposal on Friday “in the interest of stopping the aggression and genocide” in the Gaza Strip. The movement said it “values the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at halting the war on Gaza, securing a prisoner exchange, allowing immediate entry of aid, rejecting the occupation of Gaza, and rejecting the displacement of our Palestinian people from it.” It continued:
"Within this framework, and in order to achieve an end to the war and the full withdrawal from Gaza, the Movement declares its approval for the release of all Israeli captives—living and remains—according to the exchange formula outlined in President Trump’s proposal, with the necessary field conditions in place to carry out the exchange. In this context, the Movement affirms its readiness to immediately enter, through mediators, negotiations to discuss the details.
"The Movement also renews its approval to hand over administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats), based on Palestinian national consensus and backed by Arab and Islamic support.
"As for other issues in President Trump’s proposal relating to the future of Gaza and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, these are tied to a collective national stance and rooted in relevant international laws and resolutions. They will be discussed within a unified Palestinian national framework in which Hamas will participate and contribute with full responsibility."
Trump reposted the statement on Truth Social and responded postively in a separate post: “Based on the statement just issued by Hamas , I believe they are ready for for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
In a breaking Drop Site livestream, Prominent Palestinian academic and activist, Dr. Sami al-Arian, director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs at Istanbul Zaim University, joins Drop Site journalists Jeremy Scahill and Sharif Abdel Kouddous to analyze the latest developments.
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