The declaration made by the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas yesterday is arguably the most important diplomatic action taken since the beginning of the present war. The Hamas, inspired by what the movement itself refers to as a “keenness to stop the aggression and the war of extermination,” has officially delivered a response to the Trump peace plan, publicly stating its willingness to free all Israeli prisoners – living or deceased – in exchange of an end to the war entirely, the immediate inflow of aid, and the non-occupation of Gaza.
Crucially, the statement goes further, renewing Hamas’s approval to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats). It is not a conditional truce, but a complete, though conditional, surrender of the working part of their government, and their most valuable political leverage, the hostages.
Trump’s Response and the Immediate Pressure
The response of US President Donald Trump, the visionary behind the proposed plan, was timely and very impactful. Immediately going to social media, Trump wrote: “Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.” He then issued a clear demand: “Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!”
It is a masterstroke of transactional diplomacy on the part of Trump. In publicly certifying the commitment of Hamas to peace and in the same breath leveling an ultimatum to the US ally, Israel, he has accomplished two things: First, he has justified the utility of his own plan; Second, he has immediately placed on the Israeli government and its supporters the burden of risk were negotiations to fail.
The direct conclusion of both statements is that the continuation of military operations is now the greatest hindrance to the safe recovery of hostages.
The Core Concessions
For Hamas, this document is a calculation of survival. The concessions are enormous and demonstrate a shift from ideological rigidity to political pragmatism under extreme duress. The release of all captives shows the humanitarian essence. By agreeing to the exchange formula outlined in the Trump proposal, Hamas validates the American-led framework.
The offer to transfer the civilian government to a technocratic, independent institution is a clear recognition that the days of Hamas monopolizing power in Gaza are long since passed. This takes the long-term stated war goal of Israel, namely, to remove Hamas as the ruling body, out of the sphere of military intervention and into the sphere of the political one.
Hamas cleverly reserves the right to discuss its political future within a “comprehensive Palestinian national framework.” Their move to dissociate the civilian administration from any form of political involvement in the future is an indication that they are getting out of the game of governance, but not political war.
The Imperative for an Immediate Halt
The ball had now clearly landed in the hands of the diplomatic mediators, headed by the US and their regional allies. Hamas has fulfilled the first requirement of serious dialogue: trading control for cessation.
Failure to secure an immediate, comprehensive ceasefire now will confirm the darkest suspicions about the true goals of the conflict. The conditions on the release of the hostages, the fulfillment of which is the guarantee of the field conditions of exchange, are impossible when the heavy bombardment is going on.
Should Israel decide to pursue its war rather than seize this once-in-a-lifetime chance to repatriate the hostages and introduce the technocratic change it claims to desire, the international community must pay the moral and diplomatic price. Trump’s blunt tweet has ensured that history will record exactly where the breakdown occurred. This is no longer merely about defeating Hamas; it is about choosing peace and liberation over continued military action. Here is the opportunity for an enduring truce and return of the captives. It must not be wasted.
