A secret about the world: how will Hamas respond to Trump's proposal on Gaza

The Palestinian Hamas movement has declared its readiness to study the settlement plan in Gaza presented by the White House. The document provides for the cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the transfer of the exclave under external control. However, the Islamic Jihad has already rejected the initiative, and Israel has made it clear that if Hamas refuses, the military campaign will continue. Experts interviewed by Izvestia note that the movement was faced with a choice between a painful compromise and the risk of a new military escalation, and the prospect of an agreement will largely depend on guarantees of a cease-fire and withdrawal of troops. Russia does not yet have the full details of Trump's plan, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on September 30. The position of the Russian Federation will be determined after the opinion of the regional countries and the Palestinians themselves becomes known, he added.

Hamas is studying the US initiative

The White House has proposed a large-scale plan to end the war, which includes a complete cease-fire, the release of hostages and the transfer of the exclave under external control. Hamas has declared its readiness to study the document, while Islamic Jihad has already rejected it, calling it "a recipe for the explosion of the region." The Secretary General of the Hamas-allied movement, Ziyad Nahala, described the American initiative as pro-Israel and said it was leading to further escalation. According to him, the plan reflects solely the interests of Israel and does not take into account the rights of the Palestinians.

Egypt and Qatar, which traditionally serve as intermediaries between Israel and Palestinian groups, handed over the American plan to the Hamas delegation. One of the sources close to the movement told the Saudi TV channel Asharq that the Hamas leadership intends to hold "deep consultations within the politburo and with other Palestinian factions in order to work out a consolidated response."

Husam Badran, a member of the Hamas political bureau, stressed that the movement is "open to any ideas and proposals, without compromising national principles." He stated the need for a complete cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

Hamas's priority now remains demands for an immediate end to the Israeli operation and the withdrawal of troops, said Mamun Abu Amer, an expert on Israeli affairs.

— If these conditions are included and guaranteed to be implemented, there will be room for discussion. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to convince Hamas to conclude a deal," he stressed in an interview with Izvestia.

According to Abu Amer, disarmament remains a separate problem. It is necessary to hold consultations and develop special mechanisms: where the weapons will be taken, whether they will be transferred to Israel, other armed groups in Gaza or the Palestinian police, the expert explained.

"The military potential of Hamas is now significantly weakened, and the movement's leadership is aware of the need to make certain compromises in order to maintain its political position and influence in Palestinian society,— said Palestinian expert Ayman al-Raqeb. In an interview with Izvestia, the expert noted that in these circumstances, the initiative of the White House opens up a real opportunity to reach an agreement on Gas.

Trump's Plan

The 20-point plan published by the White House calls for an immediate cease-fire and withdrawal of Israeli troops, the release of hostages within 72 hours, as well as the exchange of hostages and bodies of the dead. An important element was the idea of transferring the sector under the temporary management of technocratic Palestinian authorities. The work should be supervised by the "Peace Council", chaired by Donald Trump, with the participation of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Russia does not yet have the full details of Trump's plan for the Gaza Strip and has only seen its main points, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. He stressed that Moscow's final position on the initiative of the United States will be formed after the opinion of all countries in the region becomes known.

Arab leaders welcomed the initiative, although they unanimously gave credit to Donald Trump, not Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, Hamas was not informed of the plan before it was announced. Without the consent of this organization, it remains unclear how the deal can be implemented.. The movement says it will not support anything that does not include the right of Palestinians to self-determination.

The document preserves the prospect of Palestinian statehood: the United States links it with the reconstruction of Gaza and the implementation of reforms by the Palestinian National Authority (PA). The PA itself, based in the West Bank and potentially able to join the post-war government of Gaza, welcomed Trump's efforts.

Israel promises to continue strikes on Gaza if Hamas refuses

At a joint press conference in Washington, Benjamin Netanyahu supported Trump's plan, but warned: "If Hamas rejects or tries to disrupt the agreement, Israel will complete the work on its own."

However, the Prime Minister's position is being resisted within the Israeli coalition. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the proposed plan a "historical mistake" and "complete absurdity," noting that it "ignores the lessons of October 7 and will lead to new wars."

The position of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu actually looks like the latest proposal of Hamas, said Roman Yanushevsky, editor-in-chief of the website of the 9th Israeli TV channel.

"This is not just a variant of the agreement, it is a proposal that will not be refused: if the movement rejects it, Israel will receive the green light to continue and complete the work, that is, to bring the military operation to an end," he told Izvestia.

At the same time, both Trump and Netanyahu are inclined to believe that negotiations are preferable — but now all the pressure is focused on Hamas, on whom responsibility for the possible failure of the deal falls, Yanushevsky stressed.

He also drew attention to the diplomatic underpinning of the initiative: according to him, the plan is supported by a wide range of states, from Western countries to a number of Arab and Muslim ones. In this configuration, he believes, the main burden of responsibility for the continuation of the conflict and the fate of the hostages will fall on the shoulders of Hamas.

Meanwhile, airstrikes and shelling continue throughout the exclave. On September 29, the Israeli army reported more than 160 strikes against terrorist targets, including weapons depots and infrastructure facilities, primarily in Gaza City, where a major offensive operation is underway.

In these circumstances, it is the position of Hamas that will be the key to further developments. Is the movement ready to accept the terms of a deal providing for a temporary loss of control over Gaza, or would it prefer to maintain the status quo, risking facing an intensification of the IDF military campaign?