Qatar, Egypt welcome Hamas response to Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan

Qatar and Egypt early Saturday appreciated Hamas’ positive response to US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan to end the Gaza war, voicing hope that detailed negotiations will begin soon to implement the initiative.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said in a statement on the US social media company X that Qatar “welcomes Hamas’ announcement of its approval of Trump’s proposal to end the war in Gaza and its readiness to release all hostages within the exchange framework outlined in the plan.”

Ansari reiterated that Qatar supports Trump’s statements urging “an immediate ceasefire to enable the safe and swift release of hostages and to halt the bloodshed of Palestinian brothers in Gaza.”

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Cairo “appreciates the statement issued by Hamas in response to President Trump’s plan to stop the war in the Gaza Strip.”

It stressed that the response “reflects the keenness of the movement and all Palestinian factions to spare the blood of the Palestinian people, protect innocent civilians, and end a dark period in the region’s history.”

Egypt also praised Trump’s efforts and vision for peace, noting his “full commitment to ending the war in Gaza, his rejection of the annexation of the West Bank or the displacement of the Palestinian people, and his plan for the reconstruction of Gaza while ensuring Palestinians remain on their land and returnees can go back to their homeland.”

Meanwhile, Egypt’s Cairo News TV quoted an informed Egyptian source as saying: “Preparations are underway to discuss conditions for a potential prisoner exchange between Palestinian and Israeli captives.”

The source also said work is ongoing to organize an inclusive Palestinian dialogue on the future of Gaza.

On Friday, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he believed Hamas was “ready for lasting peace” and urged Israel to “immediately stop bombing Gaza” in order to secure the release of Israeli captives.

Hamas announced its willingness to release all Israeli captives, alive and dead, and to hand over Gaza’s administration to an independent Palestinian authority composed of technocrats. However, it stressed that the enclave’s future and Palestinian rights must be addressed within a broader national Palestinian framework.

Tel Aviv estimates that 48 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, including 20 alive, while Israel holds around 11,100 Palestinian captives, many of whom face torture, hunger, and medical neglect, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups.

On Sept. 29, Trump unveiled a 20-point plan, including the release of Israeli captives within 72 hours of Israel’s approval, a ceasefire, and the disarmament of Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, standing alongside Trump at the White House on Monday, said he supports the plan, calling it one that “achieves Israel’s war objectives.”

Since October 2023, Israeli bombardment has killed nearly 66,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The UN and rights groups have repeatedly warned that the enclave is being rendered uninhabitable, with starvation and disease spreading rapidly.