MAJOR twist in Trump’s Gaza peace plan as Netanyahu issues big statement, says Israel will…, hostages could be…

Trump Gaza Peace Plan: In a major boost for US President Doland Trump’s efforts to end the Israel-Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tel Aviv is preparing to implement the first phase of the Trump Gaza peace plan after the US President asserted that Hamas’ response to his  proposal shows the Palestinian armed group is “ready for peace”.

What did Netanyahu say about Trump’s Gaza plan?

A statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Jerusalem assured Israel’s “full cooperation” with Trump’s Gaza plan, stating “in light of Hamas’ response, Israel is preparing to immediately implement the first phase of Trump’s plan for the immediate release of all hostages.”

It said that Israel will continue to “work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles established by Israel that align with President Trump’s vision.”

Additionally,  IDF chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held talks with the top general of Israel to assess the situation in light of the development, and instructed the IDF to prepare “for the implementation of the first stage of Trump’s plans to free the hostages”, according to an official statement issued by the IDF.

Reports claimed that Israeli military had halted operations in Gaza for the past several days, even before Hamas issued a statement in which agreed to Trump’s plan. Earlier, this week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly put a new offensive on hold following Trump’s announcement.

When will Israeli hostages be freed?

Meanwhile, Israeli media reports, quoting top officials, said the hostages could be free within a few days, if the Cairo talks with Hamas over their release proceed without any problems.

A senior Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the talks will begin tomorrow or on Monday and will be attended by Hamas and Israeli delegations, as well as US Special Middle East Envoy Hady Amr and possibly President Doland Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, Channel 12 News reported.

The official said that the current rapid developments had been ‘fully coordinated’ between President Doland Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that the two leaders spoke on the phone, prior to Trump’s public statement, in which he declared his belief that Hamas is “ready for peace” and called on Israel to ‘immediately stop the bombing of Gaza so that we can safely and quickly retrieve the hostages’.

As per the official, the 72-hour deadline for Hamas to release all the hostages will begin as soon as the “technical talks” in Egypt are completed, although the 72-hours “might be extended a little in order for Hamas to locate all the slain hostages. Hamas officials have said the 72-hour window is “unrealistic” because it will take longer to locate all the killed hostages.

Hamas agrees to Trump Gaza peace plan

Israel’s response comes days after Hamas issued a statement agreeing to the release of all Israeli hostages, whether dead or alive, in response to the Trump Gaza peace plan introduced earlier this week, Al Jazeera reported.

“In this context, the movement affirms its readiness to immediately enter into negotiations through the mediators to discuss the details of this agreement,” reads the statement from the Palestinian armed group shared on Telegram.

Following Hamas’ response, Trump in video address called it an “unprecedented” development, and hoped the deal would lead to the return of hostages.

“Very importantly, I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents and having some of the hostages – unfortunately, you know the condition they are in come home likewise to their parents because their parents wanted them just as much as though that young man or that young woman were alive,” Trump said.

The US President also called upon Israel to “immediately stop bombing” Gaza so that the hostage crisis with Hamas could be resolved and hostages could be retrieved.

What is Trump’s peace proposal for Gaza?

Earlier this week, on Monday, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Doland Trump unveiled a 20-point plan to end the Israel-Gaza war, under which Gaza Strip is to be temporarily governed by a Palestinian technocratic government, with no role for Hamas, and Israel will not annex Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.

The plan mandates Hamas to release all Israeli hostages and return the mortal remains of 20 others who are presumed dead. Adam Boehler, the US presidential envoy for captive affairs, has asked Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal to accept the 20-point plan put forward by Trump, describing it as a deal where “everyone wins.”

Trump’s plan also calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip followed by a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the region, and the complete disarmament of Hamas.

(With inputs from agencies)