Gaza City, October 4, 2025 – In a pivotal step toward ending the nearly two-year-long Gaza conflict, Hamas has signaled its readiness to release all 48 remaining Israeli hostages—alive or dead—as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s comprehensive peace plan, raising hopes for a ceasefire and mediated talks.

On Friday, Hamas issued a statement endorsing the hostage release outlined in Trump’s 20-point proposal, contingent on “field conditions” allowing safe execution. The plan, backed by Qatar, Egypt, and several Arab nations, follows Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,195 people and sparked a war that has claimed over 40,000 Palestinian lives. With 20 hostages believed alive and the rest presumed dead, this marks a significant breakthrough in negotiations.

Trump, who unveiled his plan earlier this week, celebrated Hamas’s response as a “huge step toward PEACE” in a Truth Social post, pressing Israel to halt its airstrikes to facilitate the release. “We need to get these hostages out now,” he urged, setting a Sunday evening deadline and warning of severe consequences if the deal falters. His proposal includes a ceasefire, the exchange of all hostages for 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 others, a phased Israeli withdrawal, unrestricted humanitarian aid, and Hamas’s disarmament, with Gaza’s governance transitioning to a neutral Palestinian authority.

While Hamas expressed willingness to negotiate details, it reiterated demands for a full Israeli withdrawal and reconstruction guarantees before disarming, with a senior official stressing the group’s role in post-war governance talks. Despite these conditions, Hamas’s openness to relinquishing administrative control is seen as a major concession.

Israel responded cautiously, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirming preparations for the deal’s initial phase, focusing on the hostage exchange. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have begun shifting to defensive operations, though airstrikes persisted in Gaza City, killing civilians on Saturday. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a key Gaza faction, also backed the plan, aligning with Hamas in a rare show of unity.

U.S. mediators, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are heading to Cairo for indirect talks with Hamas to finalize logistics, such as withdrawal timelines and exchange protocols. Qatar and Egypt are facilitating the process, with optimism growing for a resolution.

However, obstacles remain. Israeli hardliners criticize the plan as too lenient, fearing it could allow Hamas to regroup, while humanitarian groups demand accountability for war crimes on both sides. The UN welcomed the hostage commitment but urged clear steps for disarmament to ensure lasting stability.

As Cairo talks loom, the world watches whether Trump’s bold diplomacy—leveraging regional alliances and military pressure—can secure the hostages’ release and forge a path to peace in a region battered by death, displacement, and famine.