World welcomes Hamas’ positive response to Trump’s Gaza plan
A displaced Palestinian girl sits inside a UN shelter struck by Israeli air strike.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urges ‘all parties to seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end’
Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif says Hamas’ response to Gaza plan creates window for ceasefire, must not let it close
International reactions poured in on Saturday following Hamas’ positive response to United States President Donald Trump’s plan to free Israeli hostages in Gaza and end the nearly two-year conflict.
Hamas said it would agree to some of the terms in Trump’s plan to end the conflict including releasing hostages, but avoided addressing more vexing issues like disarmament and said it would seek further negotiations.
United Nations
United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres “welcomes and is encouraged by the statement issued by Hamas announcing its readiness to release hostages and to engage,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
“He urges all parties to seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end,” the statement said.
United States
“Based on the statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting peace. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The US leader also said in a brief video message that “everybody will be treated fairly” in talks on the future of Gaza.
Pakistan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Palestinian group Hamas’ response to US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan “creates a window for a ceasefire and ensuring peace that we must not allow to close again”.
Late Friday night, Trump told Israel to immediately stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, but vexing issues like disarmament appeared unresolved.
Subsequently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel was preparing for an “immediate implementation” of the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan for the release of Israeli hostages following Hamas’ response.
Qatar
Qatar “welcomes the announcement by Hamas of its agreement to President Trump’s plan,” said foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari, also expressing support for Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire.
“We also affirm our support for the statements made by the president calling for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate the safe and swift release of hostages, and to achieve rapid results that would put an end to the bloodshed of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” he said.
“At the same time, the state of Qatar affirms that it has begun working with its partners in the mediation the Arab Republic of Egypt, in coordination with the United States of America, to continue discussions on the plan in order to ensure a path toward ending the war,” he added.
Egypt
Egypt said it hoped “this positive development will lead all parties to rise to the level of responsibility by committing to implementing President Trump’s plan on the ground and end the war”.
France
“The release of all hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza are within reach!” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X, joining a chorus of hopeful European reactions to Hamas’s response.
“Hamas’ commitment must be followed up without delay. We now have the opportunity to make decisive progress towards peace. France will play its full part in line with its efforts at the UN, alongside the US, Israelis and Palestinians, and all of its international partners,” he said, thanking Trump and his team for their “commitment to peace”.
Germany
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the plan represented “the best chance for peace” in the conflict and that Germany “fully supports” Trump’s “call upon both sides”.
Britain
Britain’s Keir Starmer called Hamas’s acceptance “a significant step forwards” and urged all sides “to implement the agreement without delay”.
“The UK, alongside our partners, stands ready to support further negotiations and to work towards sustainable peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
Canada
Canada’s PM Mark Carney said his country welcomed “commitments from Hamas to relinquish power and release all remaining hostages, living and deceased”.
“We encourage all parties to immediately work to turn commitments into reality, and to advance peace and security in the region. We thank President Trump for his essential leadership,” he said on X.
Carney also voiced support for a “sovereign, democratic, and viable State of Palestine, building its future in peace and security with the State of Israel”.
Turkiye
Turkiye’s foreign ministry said the Palestinian group’s response “provides an opportunity for the immediate establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza”.
India
“We welcome President Trump’s leadership as peace efforts in Gaza make decisive progress. Indications of the release of hostages mark a significant step forward,” said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X.
“India will continue to strongly support all efforts towards a durable and just peace,” he said.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas which took part in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, endorsed on Saturday the group’s response to the US plan to end the war in Gaza.
Islamic Jihad’s approval of the plan could help facilitate the release of hostages held by both groups in Gaza.
“Hamas’ (reaction) to Trump’s plan represents the position of the Palestinian resistance factions, and the Islamic Jihad participated responsibly in the consultations that led to this decision,” it said in a statement. – News Agencies
