Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel is “considering” U.S. President Donald Trump’s new hostage deal proposal. Trump, however, later claimed that Israelis had effectively already accepted the plan, which would release all 48 hostages on the first day along with thousands of Palestinian prisoners, followed by negotiations during which Israel would refrain from further military action.
The gap between Netanyahu’s statement and Trump’s announcement remains unclear. Meanwhile, the hostages’ families’ advocacy team urged Israel to publicly accept the proposal without conditions. The prime minister’s cautious statement is notable, as Israel was directly involved in the negotiations, with officials in Jerusalem noting that a Hamas refusal could justify an Israeli operation in Gaza.
IDF strikes in Gaza
Israeli officials, however, maintain that Hamas is expected to reject the new framework, while a staged deal remains on the table. That plan would release 10 live hostages and 18 deceased hostages over 60 days of negotiations aimed at ending the war and securing all hostages.
Israel’s pessimism stems from the framework’s terms: although Hamas would ostensibly gain thousands of prisoner releases and assurances that the Gaza operation would not proceed, it would lose all leverage on the first day of negotiations and would need to rely on the U.S. Under these conditions, Hamas may struggle to end the war on terms it prefers. Netanyahu suggested Sunday that “Hamas will likely refuse.”
Still, a Hamas official said that the terror group “does not reject” the proposal, though it seeks clarifications regarding the link between hostage releases and Palestinian terrorist releases. Hamas officials highlighted the potential Israeli refusal to release senior figures such as Marwan Barghouti. Officially, Hamas has not yet formally responded and has not dismissed the plan, possibly aiming to delay Israeli operations in Gaza.
Trump, in a push to apply pressure, offered Hamas one more “final warning,” adding to previous warnings. “Everyone wants the hostages home, everyone wants the war to end. The Israelis accepted my proposal, and now it’s time for Hamas to do the same. I warned Hamas of the consequences if they refuse—this is my last warning. There will not be another,” Trump said.
Among the thousands of terrorists slated for release under the proposal are hundreds serving life sentences. If accepted, negotiations to end the war would focus on Gaza’s future: Israel demands the territory be demilitarized, with full security freedom and control over the border, while Hamas continues to call for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military continued airstrikes in Gaza, targeting high-rise buildings and key positions in the city.