U.S. President Donald Trump said he would grant Hamas several days to respond to his proposal of a peace plan for the Gaza Strip, after Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly accepted the plan.
“We’re just waiting for Hamas,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday, adding he would give the terror group about “three or four days” to respond.
“Hamas is either going to be doing it or not, and if it’s not, it’s going to be a very sad end,” he said, stressing there is “not much” room for negotiation anymore.
The plan demands an immediate ceasefire, followed by a partial IDF withdrawal and the release of all hostages. Eventually, Hamas is to be disarmed, and the governance of the Gaza Strip is to be taken over by an international committee.
“We have one signature that we need, and that signature will pay in Hell if they don’t sign. I hope they sign for their own good and create something really great,” Trump later said at an event in Virginia.
Meanwhile, there has been a flurry of often contradictory statements and reports on the intentions of Hamas. Initially, the terror group said it hadn’t yet received a written version of the proposal, despite the White House publishing it in full.
Since then, various officials and spokesmen have said that the plan would be examined, without committing to an outcome.
From the U.S. and Israel’s perspective, the plan is a take-it-or-leave-it proposal. A political source told i24 NEWS on Tuesday, “The plan presented by President Trump is non-negotiable — it’s ‘yes or no.’”
However, Hamas and Qatari officials have signaled they intend to negotiate on some points.
The Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat cited sources in Hamas saying that the plan “leans to one side and creates injustice,” meaning it benefits Israel. However, they added it would be examined in a positive spirit.
The sources also said they were not aware of a deadline for Hamas’ response but that mediators asked them to reply within about two days.
The Hamas sources noted there might be a need for adjustments on the timeline of the hostage release, which, according to the plan, should be conducted within 72 hours. The sources claimed that more time could be needed to locate burial sites of the slain hostages.
The British BBC cited another senior Hamas official, who said the group is more likely to reject the plan as it “serves Israel’s interests” but “ignores those of the Palestinian people.”
Points that Hamas is said to reject include its disarmament, as well as the introduction of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, which it sees as another occupation.
Another report by CBS News stated that Hamas and the other Palestinian terror groups are leaning toward endorsing Trump’s proposal.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, confirmed on Tuesday that his country and Egypt transmitted the proposal to Hamas, adding that it had pledged to “review it responsibly.”
“It is still too early to speak of responses, but we are optimistic — especially since today the Hamas delegation is scheduled to meet with the Turks to further discuss Trump’s plan,” he said.
According to Al Jazeera, citing an informed source, the meeting included representatives from Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and Hamas. The terror group reportedly vowed to “examine the American ceasefire proposal with the utmost responsibility.”
However, the source also noted that the meeting was “part of a technical dialogue aimed at formulating a final position regarding Trump’s plan,” indicating that Hamas will not respond with a “yes or no.”
This was underlined by comments made by Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani on Tuesday. He told Al Jazeera that the Israeli withdrawal still required “clarification and discussion.”
He also said that the postwar governance of Gaza would have to be discussed further with the Americans, but “has nothing to do with Israel.”
“The plan is in its early stages and needs development. We are trying to create a path that safeguards Palestinian rights,” said Al Thani.
Israel’s Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, who served as Shin Bet chief in the past, on Tuesday sounded a pessimistic note about the chances of Hamas agreeing to the plan.
“I admit that as someone who has known Hamas since its founding, I find it hard to see the terror organization adopting the plan,” Dichter cautioned.
This article was originally published by All Israel News.
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