Trump Sets Sunday Deadline for Hamas to Accept Gaza Peace Plan

President Donald Trump has set a deadline for Hamas to accept a proposed peace plan for Gaza, stating that an agreement must be reached by 6:00 p.m. Washington time on Sunday. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas, as well as the remains of deceased hostages, in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans. Arab and Turkish mediators are reportedly urging Hamas to respond positively to the proposal. However, a senior Hamas figure indicated that the group is likely to reject the plan. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that if the agreement is not reached, "all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas." Mediators have contacted the head of Hamas's military wing in Gaza, who has expressed disagreement with the U.S. ceasefire plan. Some of Hamas's political leaders in Qatar are open to accepting the plan with adjustments but have limited influence over the hostages held by the group. A point of contention for Hamas is the requirement to release all hostages within the first 72 hours of the ceasefire, which would relinquish their primary bargaining chip. Currently, 48 hostages are believed to be held in Gaza, with only 20 thought to be alive. The Israeli military initiated a campaign in Gaza following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. Since then, at least 66,288 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.