WASHINGTON
US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged Palestinian group Hamas to act swiftly in ongoing hostage release and peace negotiations in the Gaza Strip.
"I appreciate that Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing in order to give the Hostage release and Peace Deal a chance to be completed. Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off," Trump said on Truth Social.
His remarks came a day after Hamas announced its willingness to release all Israeli captives, alive and dead, and to hand over Gaza’s administration to an independent Palestinian authority composed of technocrats. However, it stressed that the enclave’s future and Palestinian rights must be addressed within a broader national Palestinian framework.
"I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again. Let’s get this done, fast. Everyone will be treated fairly!" Trump added.
On Friday, Trump gave Hamas until 6 pm Washington time (2200GMT) on Sunday to approve his plan.
The plan seeks to turn Gaza into a weapons-free zone, with a transitional governance mechanism overseen directly by Trump through a new international body tasked with monitoring implementation.
It includes the release of all Israeli captives held by Hamas within 72 hours of approval, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
The plan mandates a halt to hostilities, disarming all armed groups in Gaza, and Israel’s gradual withdrawal from the war-torn coastal enclave, which is to be governed by a technocratic authority under the supervision of an international body led by the US president.
Despite Trump's call for an immediate halt to the bombardment, Israel continued striking the besieged Strip on Saturday, killing at least 29 Palestinians, according to sources and medics.