Hamas agrees to free Israeli hostages; Trump asks Israel to stop bombing Gaza — Key things to know

After nearly two years of relentless war, the people of Gaza, who have endured daily airstrikes, displacement, and the constant shadow of violence, may be seeing a fragile moment of relief. US President Donald Trump , with his characteristic bluntness, has ordered Israel to stop bombing; Hamas , in a rare gesture, has signaled partial acceptance of the plan. And Israel, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, now says it is preparing to implement the “first stage” of Trump’s proposal, raising a slim but significant hope that hostages could be returned and a path toward ending the conflict might emerge.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel is preparing to carry out the "first stage" of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan to end the war in Gaza.

A statement from the prime minister's office said Israel would act "in full cooperation" with Trump to end the war in line with the plan’s principles.

This came US President Donald Trump on Friday ordered Israel to stop bombing the Gaza Strip after Hamas announced it had accepted some parts of his proposal to end the nearly two-year war and release all remaining hostages taken in the October 7, 2023 attack.

Also read: Gaza peace plan - Hamas agrees to free all Israeli hostages; nods for negotiations

Here are key developments:

Trump orders Israel to halt bombing after Hamas responds to plan

US President Donald Trump on Friday ordered Israel to stop bombing the Gaza Strip after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of his plan to end the nearly two-year war and return all the remaining hostages taken in the October 7, 2023, attack. Trump wrote on social media: "Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out."

In an unusual move, Trump also shared Hamas’s statement on his social media account, as did the White House .

Later, Trump released a video message from the Oval Office, calling Hamas’s response significant and thanking US allies, including Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Jordan, for mediating.

"This is a very special day, maybe unprecedented," Trump said, adding, "I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents."
He also said in the video that "everybody will be treated fairly" in the negotiations.

Also Read | Who will govern Gaza? Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan — Explained

Hamas says willing to release hostages, wants wider Palestinian consensus

Hamas said it was ready to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians but noted that parts of Trump’s proposal required further consultation with other Palestinian groups.

In a statement, the group said it agreed "to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump's proposal" - if the proper conditions for the exchanges are met, BBC reported.

Hamas said issues related to Gaza’s future and Palestinian rights should be settled through a "unanimous Palestinian stance" and based on international law.

The statement did not mention disarming, which is one of Israel’s main demands in Trump’s plan.

Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu told news agency AFP: "President Trump's statements on the immediate cessation of Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip are encouraging. Hamas is ready to immediately begin negotiations to achieve a prisoner exchange, end the war and ensure the withdrawal of the (Israeli) army from the Gaza Strip."

But another senior Hamas official, Mahmoud Mardawi, had earlier told AFP that Trump’s proposal was "vague, ambiguous and lacks clarity."

Netanyahu’s office says Israel aligning with Trump’s vision

Netanyahu’s office said Israel was "preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of the Trump plan for the release of all the hostages."

"We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which align with President Trump’s vision," the statement added.

However, according to Axios, Netanyahu had been "surprised" by Trump’s response and believed that Hamas’s statement did not meet important elements of Trump’s peace plan.