In a bold move, US President Donald Trump has set a definitive deadline for Hamas to accept a proposed peace plan for Gaza. This announcement came via his Truth Social platform, where Trump stated that an agreement must be reached by 18:00 Washington time (22:00 GMT) on Sunday. The proposed plan aims for an immediate cessation of hostilities and includes the release of 20 living Israeli hostages currently held by Hamas, along with the remains of deceased hostages, in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans.
Arab and Turkish mediators are reportedly pressing Hamas for a prompt and positive response to this peace initiative. However, a senior figure within Hamas has indicated that the armed group is likely to reject the proposal. Trump emphasized the urgency of the situation, warning that if this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, there will be an unprecedented outbreak of violence against Hamas. "THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER," he declared in his Truth Social post.
Efforts to mediate have included contact with the leader of Hamas's military wing in Gaza, who has expressed disagreement with the new US ceasefire plan. Despite this, some members of Hamas's political leadership based in Qatar appear more amenable to accepting the plan, provided certain adjustments are made. Unfortunately, their influence is limited, as they do not have control over the hostages held by Hamas.
A significant hurdle for Hamas in accepting the plan is the stipulation that all hostages must be handed over within the first 72 hours of the ceasefire. This requirement effectively removes their main bargaining chip in the negotiations. Currently, it is believed that there are 48 hostages being held in Palestinian territory, with only 20 confirmed alive.
The backdrop to this tense situation is the ongoing military campaign launched by the Israeli military in Gaza, which began in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. This attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 251 others. Since then, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has reported that at least 66,288 people have lost their lives due to Israeli attacks in the region.
As the deadline approaches, the world watches closely to see if a resolution can be achieved, or if the conflict will escalate further, leading to dire consequences for both sides involved.
