Tel Aviv, Israel (AP) — Israeli forces said Saturday they will prepare for the first phase of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza and return all remaining hostages after Hamas said they had accepted some of the deal.
The Army said it had been instructed by Israeli leaders to be “prepared” for the implementation of the plan. Officials, who were not permitted to speak to the media on records, said Israel would move to a defensive position in Gaza and not aggressively attack. Officials said the troops had not been removed from the strip.
The announcement comes hours after Trump ordered Israel to stop the bombing of Gaza after Hamas said he had accepted some elements of his plan. Trump welcomed Hamas’ statement, saying, “I believe they are ready for lasting peace.”
It appears Trump wants to deliver pledges to end the war and return dozens of hostages ahead of the second anniversary of Tuesday’s attack. His proposal, released earlier this week, has been widely supported and was also approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Friday, Netanyahu’s office said it was committed to ending the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, without addressing the potential gap with extremist groups. Netanyahu is under increasing pressure from the international community and Trump to end the conflict. Officials told the Associated Press that Netanyahu issued a rare late-night statement to Sabbath.
Officials also said the negotiation team was preparing for the trip, but there was no designated date.
An Egyptian official says talks are underway regarding the release of hostages and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention. Officials involved in the ceasefire negotiations said Arab intermediaries were preparing for a comprehensive dialogue between the Palestinians. The consultation aims to unify Palestinian position towards the future of Gaza.
On Saturday, Palestinian Islamic jihad, Gaza’s second-powerful extremist group, said it had accepted Hamas’ reaction to the Trump plan. The group had previously rejected the proposal a few days ago.
Progress, but future uncertainty
But despite the momentum, many questions remain.
Under the plan, Hamas released the remaining 48 hostages (of which around 20 were believed to be alive) within three days. It also gives up its power and disarming.
In return, Israel will halt its attacks, withdraw from much of its territory, freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, allowing for an influx of humanitarian assistance and ultimate reconstruction.
Hamas He is willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but he said other aspects of the plan require further consultations among the Palestinians. The official statement also did not address Hamas’ unarmed issues, an important part of the transaction.
Amir Abibi, retired Israeli general and chairman of the Israeli Defense and Security Forum, said Israel could be able to stop firing in Gaza for several days, allowing hostages to be released.
Others say Hamas suggests a willingness to negotiate, but his position remains fundamentally unchanged.
This “yes, but” rhetoric “just repackage old demands in softer language,” said Oded Ailam, a researcher at the Jerusalem Ministry of Security and Foreign Affairs Center. The gap between appearance and behavior remains as wide as ever, and rhetorical changes act more as smokescreens than true signalling of movement towards resolution, he said.
It is unclear what this means to Palestinians suffering in Gaza
The next step is also unknown to the Palestinians of Gaza. Gaza is trying to piece together what it actually means.
Israeli forces are still besieged by Gaza city. Gaza City is the focus of the latest attack. On Saturday, Israeli forces warned Palestinians to try to return to a city known as the “dangerous combat zone.”
Experts have decided on Gaza city I slipped into starvation Just before Israel launched a major attack aimed at occupying it. An estimated 400,000 people have fled in recent weeks, but hundreds of thousands have fallen behind.
We also note that hostage families are full of hope.
Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is being held in Gaza, said there are concerns from all sides. Hamas and Netanyahu could either thwart the deal or Trump could lose interest, he said. Still, he says that if that happens, it’s Trump’s fault.
“We have faith in Trump because he is the only person doing it, and we want to see him to the last step,” he said.
___
Magiddy reported from Cairo
___
Follow the AP war report https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
