Hamas Tentatively Accepts Trump Gaza Plan Amid Strikes

President Trump issued a blunt ultimatum to Hamas and pressed Israel to halt bombing to allow hostage recoveries, pushing rapid implementation of his Gaza plan while U.S. envoys including Jared Kushner flew to Egypt with a final blueprint. Hamas signalled conditional acceptance of key elements — a staged Israeli withdrawal, transfer of Gaza’s administration to independent technocrats, and hostage releases tied to field conditions — but its statement was ambiguous and internal divisions between political leaders abroad and military commanders in Gaza left disarmament and other details unresolved. Israel said it was shifting to a defensive posture and preparing to implement the plan’s first phase, but strikes and bombardments continued overnight, killing dozens in Gaza and underscoring the fragile gap between diplomacy and ongoing violence. Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators are reported to be involved as negotiators work through hostages-for-prisoners terms, withdrawal lines and security guarantees. U.S. officials and world leaders welcomed the conditional response but warned of risks, loopholes and verification challenges that could scuttle a fragile truce.