Hamas has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, stating they accept certain elements, including the release of all hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and willingness to negotiate details, but have not accepted demands for disarmament or exclusion from future Palestinian governance. The group also seeks a complete withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from Gaza. This response was conveyed in statements released between 7:38 PM and 8:07 PM UTC on October 3rd, 2025. According to multiple sources, including reports from the Associated Press and analysis from Joe Truzman, Hamas's refusal to address disarmament is interpreted by Washington and Jerusalem as a de facto rejection of the core of the Trump plan, as it leaves the most significant obstacle to the deal unresolved. Hamas has indicated it is willing to release all hostages and enter negotiations to discuss the plan's details, and has agreed to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independent figures. However, they will not accept demands to disarm or be barred from playing a future role in Palestinian governance, as stated by Barak Ravid and paraphrased by EndGameWW3. While some outlets are misinterpreting the statement by highlighting only the agreement to hand over hostages, the central issue of disarmament remains a major point of contention, according to Joe Truzman. The Hamas response indicates a willingness to negotiate further on the plan's specifics, a sentiment echoed by a statement from [@AP]. This development follows reports from earlier in the day where Israeli forces detained over 470 activists on 42 boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla as part of Operation Horizon Shield, transporting them to Ashdod Port for deportation. Hamas officials in Doha are seeking changes to Trump’s plan, including keeping “defensive” weapons, setting an Israeli withdrawal timeline, and clarifying peacekeeper roles, the Wall Street Journal reported. The group has not formally approved the peace deal, saying it “agrees in principle to release all Israeli hostages under the terms outlined in Trump’s plan” and is “ready to begin mediated negotiations to work out the details,” according to a report by ILRedAlert. Senior Hamas official Musa Abu Marzuk stated to Al-Jazeera that the delivery of abductors and bodies within 72 hours is a "theoretical and unrealistic matter in the current circumstances." This statement was also reported by N12 News and Barak Betesh. An analysis from Orit Perlov suggests that Hamas's conditional acceptance, framed as "Yes, but," is effectively a "no" to core demands, particularly regarding immediate disarmament. The same analysis highlights that Hamas's rejection of immediate disarmament leaves the most significant obstacle to a deal unresolved, as reported by Orit Perlov on X. N12 News reported that Hamas, in an official message, stated it is "Ready to go to negotiations immediately - and agree to release all kidnappers," with a quote indicating that the concern is attracting time for negotiations to stop the operation, suggesting Israel will likely respond with readiness for negotiations only under fire.
