Hamas’ response to Donald Trump’s Gaza plan is a major step towards peace but reveals several significant points of contention that could derail progress to a deal.

Hamas indicated it was ready to release its hostages , two years after it attacked Israel on 7 October 2023. The US President subsequently ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza – something the US has not done so far during the war – declaring: “We’re very close to achieving” peace in the Middle East.

However, Hamas has requested further talks, and on Saturday Israel continued striking Gaza, according to the enclave’s civil defence agency.

Hamas has partially accepted the US President’s plan to bring the war with Israel to an end, but the group’s senior officials have suggested there are still major disagreements that r

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