Hours after Hamas said it “partially welcomed” US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan to end the Gaza war, the American leader called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, optimistic that the militant group’s statement signalled a diplomatic opening. Netanyahu, however, was unconvinced.
According to Axios, which first reported the details of the October 3 call, Netanyahu dismissed Hamas’ response as “nothing to celebrate,” prompting an irritated Trump to snap back: “I don’t know why you’re always so f***ing negative. This is a win. Take it.”
Trump’s proposal, which calls for Gaza’s demilitarisation, excludes any future governing role for Hamas, and offers the group’s members the chance to remain in Gaza if they renounce violence and surrender their weapons, was seen by Washington as the most concrete peace framework since the conflict erupted in October 2023.
While Netanyahu has publicly endorsed the plan, Hamas said it was prepared to negotiate the release of all remaining hostages in return for a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and inclusion in a broader “Palestinian national framework.”
Speaking to Axios a day later, Trump described his phone conversation with Netanyahu as decisive. “I told him this was his chance for victory,” Trump said. “He was fine with it. He’s got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you’ve got to be fine.”
Shortly after the call, Trump issued a statement urging Israel to halt its airstrikes in Gaza, an order Netanyahu implemented within three hours.
As the deadline for Hamas to cede control in Gaza under the plan expired at 6 pm Sunday (3.30 am IST Monday), Trump said he expected negotiations to take “a couple of days” and urged both sides to “move fast.”
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas are set to begin today in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh, a familiar venue for Middle East diplomacy. The discussions will include US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are tasked with steering the first phase of the process.
The ongoing Gaza war, which began after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians , including over 18,000 children , and injured around 170,000, according to UN figures. Nearly the entire population of Gaza has been displaced amid what aid agencies describe as catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
Israel has rejected all allegations of genocide and of blocking aid to the enclave, maintaining that its operations are a legitimate act of self-defence against Hamas.
