'Ready For Lasting Peace': Donald Trump Asks Israel To Stop Bombing Of Gaza As Hamas Partially Accepts 'Peace Plan'; Benjamin Netanyahu Responds

Washington: United States President Donald Trump on Friday night (local time) asked Israel to immediately stop bombing Gaza. Trump's statement came shortly after militant group Hamas partially accepted his peace plan for Gaza so that hostages could be taken out safely and quickly.

"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," Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social. Egypt and Qatar are key negotiators of the peace deal.

"We are already in discussions on the details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East," he added.

The US President also posted a video message in which he thanked all the countries that helped in brokering the "peace" in the Middle East.

"I want to thank the countries for helping me put this together - Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and so many others. So many people fought so hard. This is a big day. We'll see how it all turns out," Trump said in the video message.

"We have to get the final word down and concrete. Very importantly, I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents. 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," he added.

What Netanyahu Said?

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country is preparing to implement the "first stage" of Trump's "peace deal". A statement for Netanyahu's office said Israel would work "in full cooperation" with Trump to end the war in accordance with its principles.

What Hamas Said?

Hamas stated that it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians. However, the militant group further stated that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. Senior Hamas officials suggested there were still major disagreements that required further negotiations.

Under Trump's plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages - around 20 of them believed to be alive, within three days. It would also give up power and disarm.

As per the plan, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of the territory, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction. Plans to relocate much of Gaza's population to other countries would be shelved.