Hamas Deliberates Trump-Backed Gaza Ceasefire Plan Amid Internal Divisions

Hamas is carefully studying a ceasefire plan for Gaza proposed by US President Donald Trump and supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the Palestinian group requesting more time for consultations. The plan, aiming to end the nearly two-year conflict, includes a ceasefire, the release of hostages within 72 hours, disarmament of Hamas, and a phased Israeli withdrawal, followed by a transitional authority led by Trump through an international body. Hamas has communicated to mediators that consultations are ongoing and require additional time before issuing a formal response .

There are significant internal divisions within Hamas regarding the plan. One faction favors unconditional acceptance prioritizing a ceasefire under Trump’s guarantees, while another faction opposes key clauses, particularly those mandating Hamas’s disarmament and the removal of its leaders from Gaza. This latter group insists on amendments that preserve Hamas’s and other resistance factions’ roles and demands international guarantees for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, alongside assurances against assassinations within or outside Gaza .

Hamas leaders have also expressed that the future governance of Gaza must not exclude the group unconditionally and have raised concerns about clauses that require disarmament and exile of Hamas officials. Discussions with regional mediators including Turkish, Egyptian, and Qatari officials are underway to negotiate terms more favorable to Hamas while responding to international calls for peace. The political bureau member Mohammed Nazzal confirmed ongoing deliberations and emphasized Hamas’s intention to protect Palestinian interests without succumbing to threats or time pressure .

ADVERTISEMENT

Trump’s proposal has received support from world powers and Arab-Muslim countries, although some Arab officials note gaps in the plan needing clarification. Israel’s heavy offensive on Gaza since October 2023 has resulted in over 66,000 Palestinian deaths, primarily civilians, while Israeli casualties number over a thousand following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that reignited the conflict .

Hamas’s final decision on the plan is awaited as international focus intensifies on de-escalating the crisis and preventing further humanitarian disaster in Gaza, with Hamas seeking a ceasefire that addresses their core political and security concerns .