Hamas agreed to release hostages and cede power, but wanted more time to consult
In the long and fractured history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a rare convergence of pressures — a sitting American president's direct appeal, a militant group's partial concession, and an army's operational pause — has created a narrow window for diplomacy. Hamas has accepted key elements of Donald Trump's Gaza peace framework, including the release of remaining hostages and a relinquishment of governing power, while the IDF has shifted from offensive operations in Gaza City to a defensive posture. The moment is fragile, shaped as much by political calendars and unresolved grievances as by genuine agreement, yet it marks the most significant movement toward a negotiated end to the conflict in over a year.
- Hamas's partial acceptance of Trump's framework — agreeing to free hostages and cede power — has broken a long diplomatic stalemate, but its insistence on broader Palestinian consultations signals that full commitment remains elusive.
- Trump applied direct public pressure on Israel to halt its bombing campaign, framing the ceasefire as the only path to bringing the hostages home — a rare instance of Washington openly constraining its closest regional ally.
- The IDF's decision to abandon offensive operations in Gaza City and adopt a defensive posture represents a concrete military concession, though Israeli officials are careful to call it a shift rather than a withdrawal.
- Dozens of hostages remain in captivity, and Gaza's civilian population has endured more than a year of displacement and casualties — the human weight pressing on every negotiating table.
- With the second anniversary of the October attack approaching, Trump is racing to convert partial diplomatic momentum into a comprehensive settlement before the symbolic deadline hardens expectations on all sides.
On Saturday, the Israeli Defence Force announced it would narrow its operations in Gaza, stepping back from efforts to occupy Gaza City and moving instead to a defensive posture within the Strip. The announcement capped a rapid sequence of diplomatic developments that had begun to alter the conflict's direction.
It started when Donald Trump unveiled a peace proposal for Gaza. Israel's government accepted it quickly. Then Hamas responded with a carefully measured position: it would agree to release all remaining hostages and relinquish its hold on power, but said other provisions of the plan required consultation among broader Palestinian leadership before any final commitment.
Trump had been blunt in his public messaging, urging Israel on social media to stop bombing immediately and framing the halt as essential to securing the hostages. The timing carried political weight — the second anniversary of the October attack was approaching, and ending the war had been a central campaign promise. The combination of Washington's pressure, Hamas's partial acceptance, and the IDF's operational shift suggested the diplomatic machinery was, at last, beginning to move.
Yet the situation remained deeply fragile. Hamas had not agreed to every element of the proposal, leaving significant room for disagreement on implementation. The IDF's pause was framed as a shift, not a withdrawal — a distinction that mattered to all parties. Dozens of hostages were still in captivity, and Gaza's humanitarian toll had been severe.
The larger questions — how power would transfer, what security arrangements would follow, how Palestinian political life would be reorganized — remained unresolved. Hamas's call for further internal consultations suggested that even within Palestinian leadership, consensus was not yet secured. The ceasefire effort was real, but so was the distance between accepting parts of a plan and delivering a comprehensive peace.
On Saturday morning, the Israeli Defence Force announced a significant shift in its military posture. Rather than continue operations aimed at occupying Gaza City, the IDF said it would narrow its focus to defensive actions within the Gaza Strip itself. The announcement came days after a cascade of diplomatic moves that had begun to reshape the conflict's trajectory.
The sequence started when Donald Trump unveiled a peace proposal designed to end the war in Gaza. Benjamin Netanyahu's government moved quickly to accept the plan. Then, on Friday, Hamas responded with a carefully calibrated position: the group said it would accept certain provisions of Trump's framework, specifically agreeing to release all remaining hostages and to relinquish its hold on power. But Hamas also signaled that other elements of the plan required broader consultation among Palestinian leadership before any final commitment could be made.
Trump had been direct in his messaging. On social media, he urged Israel to stop its bombing campaign immediately, framing the cessation as essential to securing the hostages' release. The timing was deliberate. The second anniversary of the October attack was approaching, and Trump had made ending the war a central campaign promise. The pressure from Washington, combined with Hamas's partial acceptance and the IDF's operational shift, suggested that the diplomatic machinery was beginning to move.
The ceasefire effort was being widely welcomed internationally. After more than a year of sustained conflict, the prospect of a negotiated settlement carried weight. Yet the situation remained fragile. Hamas had not committed to every element of Trump's proposal, leaving room for disagreement on implementation. The IDF's decision to halt Gaza City operations represented a military concession, but it was framed as a shift rather than a full withdrawal—a distinction that mattered.
What remained unresolved was substantial. Dozens of hostages were still in captivity. The humanitarian toll in Gaza had been severe, with significant civilian displacement and casualties. The question of how power would be transferred, what security arrangements would follow, and how the broader Palestinian political landscape would be reshaped—these were all matters that required negotiation. Hamas's call for further Palestinian consultations suggested that internal agreement on the plan's terms was not yet secured.
The coming days would be critical. Trump appeared determined to deliver a diplomatic victory before the October anniversary, and the partial acceptance from Hamas, combined with Israel's operational adjustment, suggested movement was possible. But the gap between accepting parts of a plan and implementing a comprehensive settlement remained wide. The ceasefire effort was real, but so was the complexity of what would need to follow.
Citações Notáveis
Hamas agreed to release all remaining hostages and relinquish power, but other elements of the plan require further Palestinian consultations— Hamas statement reported by AP
Trump urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza immediately in an effort to secure hostage releases— Trump, via social media
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why did Hamas accept only parts of the plan rather than the whole thing?
Because the parts they accepted—releasing hostages, stepping back from power—were things they could decide on their own. The other elements involve Palestinian politics more broadly, and Hamas can't commit on behalf of all Palestinians without consultation.
So Trump's pressure on Israel to stop bombing—was that the thing that moved the needle?
It was part of it. But Hamas was already signaling openness. Trump's public demand gave Israel political cover to shift operations, and it showed Hamas that the American pressure was real and sustained.
The IDF said they're shifting to defensive operations in Gaza. Does that mean they're leaving?
Not exactly. They're narrowing the scope—halting the push into Gaza City specifically, but staying in a defensive posture within the Strip. It's a pullback, not a withdrawal.
What about those dozens of hostages still held?
They're the real leverage point. Both sides know that getting them out is what Trump needs to claim victory, and it's what could unlock the rest of the agreement.
Is this actually going to hold, or is it just theater?
Too early to say. Hamas needs Palestinian buy-in on the parts they haven't agreed to yet. Israel needs to see hostages released. Trump needs a win before the anniversary. All three have incentives to make it work, but any one of them could pull back.