JERUSALEM (Realist English). Israel’s government and military announced early Saturday that they are preparing to implement the first stage of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, shortly after Hamas said it was ready to “immediately” enter negotiations under the same framework — a rare sign of movement after months of diplomatic deadlock.
“In light of Hamas’s response, Israel is preparing to immediately implement the first phase of President Trump’s plan for the release of all hostages,” said a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that it had been instructed to “advance readiness” for the plan’s rollout.
The announcements came ahead of a Sunday deadline Trump had set for Hamas to accept his 20-point proposal, which aims to end nearly two years of conflict in Gaza following the militant group’s 2023 attack on Israel. “We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in line with Israel’s principles and President Trump’s vision,” Netanyahu’s office said.
Hamas, in its statement earlier Saturday, said it was prepared to begin negotiations for a comprehensive exchange of hostages and prisoners and to hand over governance of Gaza to “a Palestinian authority of independents based on national consensus,” supported by Arab and Islamic states. The group, however, stopped short of an unconditional endorsement of the U.S. plan.
Trump praised the move as a “big day” for peace, writing on Truth Social that Hamas appeared “ready for a lasting PEACE.” He also reiterated his demand that Israel “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza” to enable a safe hostage release, saying discussions on the plan’s “details” were underway.
According to reports by Axios and CNN analyst Barak Ravid, the IDF is expected to pause its offensive on Gaza City and shift to defensive operations across the Strip, though no formal timeline has been announced.
Trump’s peace blueprint envisions an initial hostage-for-prisoner exchange — 48 hostages for roughly 2,000 Palestinian detainees — followed by the destruction of Hamas’ military infrastructure under international supervision. The plan also outlines a phased Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of an International Stabilization Force led by Arab partners, with Gaza’s governance overseen by an international “Board of Peace.”
While the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar welcomed Hamas’s response as a “positive development,” major gaps remain. The militant group’s statement did not mention disarmament or participation in Trump’s proposed oversight mechanism — two key conditions of the plan.
Trump has warned that if Hamas fails to formally accept the proposal by 6 p.m. Sunday (ET), “all hell, like no one has ever seen before, will break out.”
Regional mediators say that while a final ceasefire deal remains uncertain, the weekend’s developments mark the most significant diplomatic progress since the war began — and could open the door to structured talks on ending the conflict.
