Israel has accepted Trump’s plan for the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas
Israel has said it is ready for a prisoner swap with Hamas in line with US President Donald Trump’s peace plan. The announcement came hours after the Palestinian armed group signaled its acceptance of parts of the proposal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on Saturday, “Israel is prepared for the immediate implementation of the first stage of Trump’s plan for the immediate release of all the hostages,” and that they would continue to work with the president and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles laid out by Israel, which correspond with Trump’s vision for ending the war.
Under Trump’s plan, Hamas must release all remaining hostages within 72 hours after Israel suspends military operations in Gaza and withdraws its troops “to the agreed upon line.” Once the hostages are freed, Israel would release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians detained after October 7, 2023. An apolitical, Hamas-free transitional government will be established in Gaza, which is intended to become “a deradicalized, terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.”
Late on Friday, Hamas released a statement saying it was ready for a prisoner swap in accordance with the proposed formula and in principle had agreed to hand over power in Gaza to an independent government “based on the Palestinian national consensus and based on Arab and Islamic support.”
While the plan does not address Trump’s call for Israel to halt its strikes in Gaza, it represents a significant step toward a potential resolution of the conflict. Both sides have expressed their willingness to cooperate, with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to work with the US President to end the war as per their shared principles.