UN Chief Welcomes Hamas Response to Trump’s Plan As Israel’s Assault Ravages Gaza
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged all sides to act swiftly to end Israel’s relentless war on Gaza after Hamas announced conditional acceptance of US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire proposal, which seeks to halt months of Israeli attacks.
The United Nations chief on Friday welcomed Hamas’ statement expressing readiness to release hostages and engage under the framework of Trump’s ceasefire plan for the Gaza Strip, according to his spokesman.
Guterres “urges all parties to seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
The statement followed remarks by senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk, who said the Palestinian resistance movement had accepted the plan “in principle,” stressing that final implementation required detailed negotiations.
Guterres thanked Qatar and Egypt for their “invaluable” mediation, reiterating his call for an “immediate and permanent ceasefire,” the unconditional release of all captives, and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza.
Hamas, in its official statement, confirmed it had agreed to release Israeli captives — both living and deceased — in exchange for Palestinian prisoners under Trump’s outlined formula, while handing over Gaza’s administration to an independent Palestinian body.
It emphasized that all matters concerning Gaza’s future and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people must align with international law and a unified national stance.
Israel claims 48 of its captives remain in Gaza, including 20 alive.
By contrast, over 11,000 Palestinians languish in Israeli prisons, subjected to torture, medical neglect, and starvation — conditions that rights organizations say have led to multiple deaths.
Hamas reaffirmed readiness to begin mediated negotiations “immediately” to finalize the details of the exchange and ceasefire implementation.
Trump had set a deadline for Hamas to approve the plan by Sunday evening, Washington time.
The White House blueprint calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, reconstruction of Gaza, and the creation of a technocratic Palestinian authority under international oversight directed by the US president.
The plan also demands disarmament of Palestinian resistance forces and Israel’s gradual withdrawal from Gaza, transforming the territory into a so-called “weapons-free zone.”
For nearly 18 years, Israel has maintained a suffocating blockade on the enclave, home to 2.4 million people.
The siege has been tightened since March, cutting off food and medicine and pushing the population toward famine.
Since October 2023, Israeli bombardment has killed nearly 66,300 Palestinians — overwhelmingly women and children — while international organizations warn that Gaza is being rendered uninhabitable amid starvation, disease, and mass displacement.
