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‘Immediately’: Israel defies Trump’s demand

Having heard Donald Trump’s demand that it stop bombing Gaza “immediately”, Israel claims to have shifted its posture.

Israel has been accused of continuing to attack targets in Gaza overnight, local time, defying US President Donald Trump’s demand that it “immediately stop the bombing”.

According to Gaza’s local health ministry, Israeli fire killed six people throughout the night, including one strike on a house in Gaza City that left four dead. There were dozens of air and artillery strikes throughout the region.

That happened after Mr Trump called for the ceasefire to be “immediate”, so “we can get the hostages out safely and quickly”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says the IDF is preparing for an “immediate implementation” of stage one of Mr Trump’s peace plan.

According to Israeli media, the military has been ordered to reduce offensive activity. An unnamed IDF source told The Associated Press that Israel had moved to a “defensive only” posture in Gaza.

Mr Trump says “everyone will be treated fairly” after praising Hamas for agreeing to release hostages held in Gaza under a peace deal proposed by the US President.

“This is a big day,” Mr Trump said in a short video shared on Friday night.

“We’ll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down in concrete. Very importantly I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents.

“And having some of the hostages unfortunately, you know the condition they’re in, come home likewise to their parents, because their parents wanted them just as much as though that young man or young woman were alive.

“So I just want to let you know that this is a very special day, maybe unprecedented. In many ways it is unprecedented.”

Mr Trump thanked Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan “and so many others” for helping put the deal together.

“Everybody was unified in wanting this war to end and seeing peace in the Middle East and we’re very close to achieving that,” he said.

“Thank you all and everybody will be treated fairly.”

A short time earlier, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social network, “Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.

“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”

 

US President Donald Trump. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP
US President Donald Trump. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP

 

Hamas on Saturday said statements by Mr Trump calling on Israel to stop bombing Gaza are “encouraging”, expressing readiness to immediately negotiate for the release of hostages and an end to the war.

“President Trump’s statements on the immediate cessation of Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip are encouraging, and Hamas is ready to immediately begin negotiations to achieve a prisoner exchange, end the war and ensure the withdrawal of the (Israeli) army from the Gaza Strip,” Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nounou told AFP.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it was seeking the “immediate implementation” of Mr Trump’s plan to free Israeli hostages in Gaza.

“In light of Hamas’s response, Israel is preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of the Trump plan for the release of all the hostages,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

“We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which align with President Trump’s vision.”

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuwants ‘immediate implementation’ of the plan. Picture: Ronen Zvulun / POOL / AFP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuwants ‘immediate implementation’ of the plan. Picture: Ronen Zvulun / POOL / AFP

 

Mediator Egypt welcomed Hamas’ response Mr Trump’s Gaza plan on Saturday, labelling it a “positive development” and urging both sides to seize the opportunity to end the war.

“Egypt expresses its hope that this positive development will lead all parties to rise to the level of responsibility by committing to implementing President Trump’s plan on the ground and end the war,” Egypt’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Facebook.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday a ceasefire in Gaza and the freeing of hostages held in the Palestinian territory are “within reach”, after Hamas said it was ready for peace talks.

“The release of all hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza are within reach!” Mr Macron wrote on X, joining a chorus of hopeful reactions to the Palestinian Islamist group’s response to US President Donald Trump’s peace plan.

 

A Hamas fighter guides Israeli hostage Averu Mengistu. Picture: Omar al-Qattaa/AFP
A Hamas fighter guides Israeli hostage Averu Mengistu. Picture: Omar al-Qattaa/AFP

 

Hamas earlier said it was ready to release hostages held in Gaza under the proposed peace deal but wanted negotiations on the details and a say in the future of the Palestinian territory.

“The movement announces its approval for the release of all hostages — living and remains — according to the exchange formula included in President Trump’s proposal,” Hamas said in a statement on Friday, adding it was ready to enter talks “to discuss the details”.

The peace plan for Gaza, presented by Mr Trump this week and backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages within 72 hours, Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

In the statement, Hamas said it agreed to hand over power in Gaza to a body of Palestinian technocrats but said decisions on the territory’s long-term future would need to be discussed within a Palestinian framework “in which Hamas will participate and contribute responsibly”.

 

Hamas says it is ready to release all hostages under the deal. Picture: Abdel Kareem Hana
Hamas says it is ready to release all hostages under the deal. Picture: Abdel Kareem Hana

 

Hamas’s statement made no mention of its intentions on disarmament, a key part of the US President’s plan and a move the group has previously resisted.

Following the announcement, Mahmoud Mardawi, a senior Hamas official, told AFP the group welcomed Mr Trump’s proposal, but that “without clear terms, criteria, and transparency, we need clarification and confirmation through a negotiated agreement”.

“The American proposal is vague, ambiguous, and lacks clarity,” Mardawi said. Hamas had “made our position clear, and we are now waiting to see how the details of the terms will be implemented and clarified”, he added.

Under the US plan published on Monday — which has been welcomed by world powers, including Arab and Muslim nations — a post-war transitional authority for Gaza would be headed by Mr Trump himself.

Earlier on Friday the US President gave Hamas until Sunday night to respond to the plan, and warned the group it faced “all hell” if it did not agree to the terms.

Author: Staff writers and AFP

Source: News Corp Australia Network:

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