WASHINGTON — Hamas says it is prepared to release all Israeli hostages — alive or dead — if conditions outlined in former President Donald Trump’s new Middle East peace proposal are met.
The announcement comes just days after Trump unveiled his 20-point plan during a press conference in Washington alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The plan seeks to end months of violence in the region, though many details remain unresolved.
“I look forward to the hostages coming home,” Trump said, calling the development “unprecedented” and “a special day.”
“Everybody was unified in wanting this war to end and seeing peace in the Middle East,” he added.
In a statement, Hamas said it was willing to engage with mediators to negotiate aspects of the proposal, signaling a possible breakthrough in the ongoing conflict.
Mixed Reactions from Community Leaders
Reactions to the plan and Hamas’ response were swift, with leaders from both Israeli and Palestinian communities weighing in.
“President Trump takes credit for a lot of things,” said Miko Peled, president of the Palestinian House of Freedom. “He did say Israel has to stop the bombing, which is unique. It’s maybe a first for an American president, and that’s obviously a good thing — but we’re two years into a genocide. This could’ve all happened two years ago.”
Peled also voiced skepticism about Israel’s willingness to follow through on a hostage exchange.
“We’ll see if, at the end of the day, the Israelis are willing to accept this plan to begin with and allow the exchange to take place,” he said.
Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, called the plan a rare moment of hope after months of conflict.
“Yesterday was Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. I don’t think there was a person or synagogue around the world where people weren’t praying for the release of these hostages, so it was quite a ray of sunshine,” Halber said.
While supportive of the overall direction, Halber voiced concerns about implementation.
“I’m concerned about the implementation of some of the details,” he said. “But overall we’re optimistic for the first time in months that the violence may end.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations z(CAIR) also released a statement welcoming the announcement saying:
“For negotiations aimed at a just and lasting peace to succeed, President Trump must recognize that the Israeli government does not actually want to reach an agreement that would free the hostages while permanently ending the genocide. This is especially true of Netanyahu, who always seeks a way to continue his genocidal war so that he can keep his racist coalition together, cling to power, stay out of jail, and fulfill Israel’s vision of a permanent apartheid state reigning over millions of Palestinians and even people in other nations.
“It is long past time for our nation to force Israel to accept a permanent ceasefire agreement that results in the end of the genocide in Gaza, the unlimited entry of humanitarian aid, the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza and Palestinian captives — including hundreds of women and children — held in Israel, and a clear path to establishing a reconstructed, liberated, and unified Palestinian state free from Israeli occupation or western colonial oversight. Only this can secure a just and lasting peace.”
Fragile Hope
Both leaders acknowledged the potential fallout if the deal collapses.
“The Israeli government is made up of such extreme right-wing fanatics, and their objective is to destroy the Palestinians — all of Gaza — and to settle it with Jews,” Peled said. “Unless severe action is taken, they’re not going to stop.”
Halber pushed back on criticism of Israel, pointing out that the country has already accepted the deal.
“All these people have been beating up on Israel throughout the crisis. Who accepted the deal? Israel accepted the deal already,” he said. “We’re still waiting for Hamas. They’ve said yes — but we want them to say yes without the ‘but.’ We understand there’s going to be some negotiations, but we have to keep the pressure on.”
As diplomatic efforts unfold, attention now shifts back to Washington, where negotiators hope a fragile agreement can lead to real progress toward peace.