TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - US President Donald Trump gave Hamas an ultimatum of "three or four days" on Tuesday to respond to the Gaza peace proposal, while the Palestinian resistance group reviewed the plan backed by Israel.
The proposal calls for a ceasefire, for Hamas to release hostages within 72 hours, disarmament of Hamas, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, followed by a post-war transitional authority led by Trump himself.
World powers, including Arab and Muslim countries, welcomed the proposal but Hamas has yet to give a response.
"We’re going to do about three or four days," Trump told reporters when asked about the timeframe, as reported by Arab News.
“We’re just waiting for Hamas, and Hamas is either going to be doing it or not. And if it’s not, it’s going to be a very sad end.”
Trump announced the agreement at the White House on Monday after meeting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Tuesday, a Palestinian source said on condition of anonymity that Hamas has begun consultations on the plan "within its political and military leaderships, both inside Palestine and abroad.”
“The discussions could take several days due to the complexities," the source said.
Qatar, which hosts exiled Hamas leaders, said the group pledged to study the proposal "responsibly." It also has plans to meet with Hamas and Turkey on Tuesday.
The agreement demands full disarmament of Hamas and their withdrawal from future government roles, but those who agree to "peaceful co-existence" will be granted amnesty.
The agreement also includes a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, after nearly two years of genocide.
However, in a video statement uploaded after the joint press conference with Trump, Netanyahu said the military would remain in most of Gaza and that he did not approve of a Palestinian state during his talks in Washington.
"Full Support"
Trump's plan includes the deployment of a "temporary international stabilization force" and the formation of a transitional authority led by Trump himself, involving former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In a joint press conference with Trump, Netanyahu doubted whether the Palestinian Authority, which nominally manages the Palestinian population centers in the occupied West Bank, would be allowed a role in the Gaza government.
Trump noted that during their meeting, Netanyahu had firmly opposed the formation of a Palestinian state—a possibility still entertained by the US plan.
The reaction is global and swift. Major Arab and Muslim countries, including mediators Egypt and Qatar, praised the "sincere efforts" of the agreement after their own negotiations with Trump last week.
Washington's allies in Europe immediately expressed support, with leaders of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy voicing strong support for the plan, while China and Russia also declared their backing.
"Unrealistic"
But in Gaza, people are skeptical.
"It’s clear that this plan is unrealistic," said Ibrahim Joudeh, 39, from his shelter in the humanitarian zone of Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza.
“It’s drafted with conditions that the US and Israel know Hamas will never accept. For us, that means the war and the suffering will continue,” said the computer programmer from the southern city of Rafah, which was destroyed by military attacks that began in May.
Israeli airstrikes and shootings continued in Gaza on Tuesday, according to the territory's civil defense agency and eyewitnesses.
The Israeli military said its troops were conducting operations across the territory, particularly in Gaza City, where they have launched large-scale attacks in recent weeks.
The Palestinian Authority welcomed Trump's "sincere and determined efforts."
Hamas ally Islamic Jihad, on the other hand, said the plan would trigger further aggression against Palestine. "Through this, Israel is attempting—via the United States—to impose what it could not achieve through war," the group said in a statement.
The Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killed 1,219 people according to official Israeli data. Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant admitted that some of the civilians who died that day were killed by the Israeli forces through the Hannibal Directive. This protocol emphasizes that no Israeli residents should be taken hostage by enemy combatants.
The Israeli genocide has devastated much of Gaza and killed at least 66,055 Palestinian civilians, according to the Ministry of Health's data.
Editor’s Choice: Trump Proposes 21-Point Gaza Peace Plan, Here Are the Details
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
