Hamas is expected to accept Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire proposal in the coming days as a basis for renewed negotiations, but will demand significant revisions, according to analysts and sources close to the group. The proposal, which incorporates many of Israel’s principal demands, was formulated without consulting Hamas.
President Trump imposed a deadline of “three or four days” from Tuesday for Hamas to respond to his 20-point plan, warning that rejection would allow Israel to “do whatever it takes to finish this”. The plan aims to end the two-year war in Gaza and establish an indefinite international administration of the territory.
A key sticking point is the demand for Hamas to disarm. A source close to the organisation said surrendering all weapons would be very difficult without a political process or substantial progress towards a two-state solution. Hugh Lovatt of the European Council on Foreign Relations noted that any response short of total and final acceptance could be used against Hamas by Israel and the Trump administration.
Hamas leaders are divided between Istanbul, Doha and Gaza, complicating discussions. Turkey and Qatar are pressuring the group to make concessions. Analysts, however, downplay the extent of internal splits, pointing to a shared opposition to disarmament as a core principle.
The proposal would require the release of all Israeli hostages within 72 hours of a ceasefire, a gradual Israeli withdrawal, and a surge of humanitarian aid. In return, Israel would free more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences. The war, triggered by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 raid into southern Israel, has killed over 66,000 Palestinians and left much of Gaza in ruins.
