Cairo/Washington, October 4, 2025: U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday called on Israel to immediately stop its bombardment of Gaza, saying Hamas had agreed to release hostages and accept parts of a U.S.-brokered peace plan, though major sticking points remained unresolved.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed it was preparing for “immediate implementation” of the first stage of Trump’s plan, which includes the release of Israeli hostages. Israeli media later reported that political leaders had instructed the military to scale back offensive operations, though the army’s top general only mentioned preparing for the plan’s initial phase.
Hamas, which controls Gaza, submitted its formal response to Trump’s 20-point proposal after being given a Sunday deadline by Washington. While it accepted prisoner exchanges and the handover of Gaza’s administration to an independent technocratic body, Hamas stopped short of agreeing to disarm or accept a staged Israeli withdrawal — two key conditions sought by Israel and the U.S.
Trump hailed Hamas’s reply as a sign it was “ready for a lasting PEACE” and urged Israel to act quickly.
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
Netanyahu’s office said Israel would continue working “in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with Israel’s principles, which align with President Trump’s vision.”
Despite the announcements, residents in Gaza reported heavy shelling on Friday evening, including tank fire on Gaza City’s Talateeni Street and airstrikes on the Remal neighborhood and Khan Younis. No casualties were immediately reported.
The developments come as Netanyahu faces mounting pressure at home from families of Israeli hostages and a war-weary public, even as hardliners in his coalition demand continued military action.
The war, now in its second year, erupted after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of them alive. Gaza health authorities report more than 66,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel’s offensive, which has devastated the enclave and triggered famine conditions.
A U.N. commission and multiple rights groups have accused Israel of genocide — a charge Netanyahu’s government rejects, insisting it is acting in self-defense.
Qatar confirmed it has begun coordination with Egypt and the U.S. to advance talks on Trump’s proposal, which envisions an immediate ceasefire, full hostage-prisoner swaps, a staged Israeli withdrawal, Hamas’s disarmament, and an internationally overseen transitional government in Gaza.
In its response, Hamas said it was prepared to release all Israeli captives “according to the exchange formula” in Trump’s plan and enter mediated negotiations on implementation. It also signaled willingness to transfer Gaza’s administration to a nonpartisan Palestinian body, though it insisted it should still have a role in future national discussions.
Earlier Friday, Trump had warned that “all HELL” would break out if Hamas rejected his proposal by the weekend deadline.
