Shock in Gaza as Trump Appears to Welcome Hamas’s Response to Peace Plan
Residents of Gaza have reacted with disbelief after former U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to embrace Hamas’s response to his proposed peace plan for the region.
Social media platforms in Gaza were flooded with questions such as, “Has the war ended?” and “Is this real or just a dream?” as people struggled to make sense of the fast-moving developments overnight.
Hamas’s statement, believed to have been carefully worded with help from mediators, did not reject Trump’s proposal outright. Instead, it offered a cautious “yes,” accepting key points such as the release of Israeli hostages and the transfer of Gaza’s governance to a technocratic Palestinian authority, while leaving other aspects of the 20-point plan unanswered.
The move was widely seen as a strategic attempt to shift responsibility back to Israel. Soon after the statement was released, Trump posted on social media that Hamas seemed ready for peace and urged Israel to halt its bombardment of Gaza.
Reactions among Palestinians have ranged from cautious optimism to outright skepticism. Some fear Hamas may have fallen into a political trap, giving Israel the upper hand once again after recovering its hostages. Others see a rare opportunity to end two years of relentless conflict.
“I advise patience,” said Ibrahim Fares. “It’s too soon to celebrate. Negotiations will take time, and as always, the devil is in the details.”
On Facebook, commentator Mahmoud Daher noted that Hamas’s tone was strikingly straightforward. “This time, the answer was yes, without the usual hesitation,” he wrote, pointing out that Hamas even praised Trump in what many saw as a tactical move.
However, not everyone views the shift positively. Long-time activist and Hamas critic Khalil Abu Shammala argued the move was more about political survival than peace. “They’ll call it wisdom, but this is about staying in power,” he said. “I doubt Hamas even wrote that statement, it was too polished.”
For now, Gaza waits anxiously, uncertain whether this unexpected exchange could finally pave the way for peace, or merely mark another twist in a long, painful conflict.
