Gaza Plan: What’s the Latest? Hamas Accepts, What Happens Now?

Kokcha News Agency: President Donald Trump’s announced Gaza Plan is largely about to take effect. The parties have moved to the negotiation phase. The Israeli army has suspended operations in Gaza, and Hamas has requested time for the hostages. The parties will meet in Egypt on Monday, 10/06/2025.

Hamas Agrees to Negotiate: Next Steps

Egypt has announced that Hamas and Israeli delegations will begin indirect negotiations regarding the exchange of prisoners.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Egypt, in coordination with mediators and as part of efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip, will host negotiations between Israeli and Hamas delegations.
It was stated that the conditions and details of the prisoner exchange will be discussed in line with Trump’s plan at the indirect negotiations to be held on October 6, and that the negotiations will be carried out in line with efforts to increase the regional and international momentum achieved after Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza.

White House: Witkoff and Kushner Going to Egypt

The White House announced that US Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are on their way to Egypt to meet with Israeli and Arab negotiators.

Netanyahu Accepted on the Day It Was Announced

The parties have embarked on a positive path for the Gaza Plan announced by US President Donald Trump on September 29. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the plan on the day it was announced.
After the plan was found negotiable between the parties, priority will be given to the release of the Israelis taken hostage by Hamas. The Israeli army also appears to have moved to the implementation phase of the plan and has suspended operations.
Following Hamas’ announcement that it was ready to negotiate the Gaza Plan, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is preparing to halt its operations in Gaza.

The IDF announced that it had given the order to “advance preparations for the implementation of the first phase of the Trump plan” upon orders from the “political echelon.”
A senior Israeli official, who did not want to be named, added that the IDF will only switch to defensive operations throughout the Gaza Strip. It was not stated when the Gaza City offensive would be completely over or when the transition to defense would take place, and the IDF statement did not mention this issue.

How Did the Process Progress?

This plan is not actually new, but the process has progressed rapidly this time. Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American businessman who is referred to as US President Donald Trump’s unofficial envoy in the Gaza negotiations, claimed in a statement to the UAE press on September 4 that he had presented Hamas with a new US offer for a comprehensive agreement that would end the war in exchange for the release of all Israeli prisoners, and claimed that Hamas had accepted this offer.

Currently, this plan is again based on the release of hostages first.
When Trump’s plan was re-transmitted to Hamas, it expressed some reservations. These reservations consisted of the establishment of a certain timetable for the stages included in the plan, the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, and the non-establishment of a US-Israeli tutelage over Gaza.

US President Donald Trump gave Hamas 3 or 4 days in his first statement. Hamas tried to review the plan during this period, and officials from many countries were involved in the process in Qatar.

Trump’s Hell-Themed Warnings

Trump harshly warned Hamas on October 3. Trump stated that an agreement should be reached with Hamas by 18:00 Washington time on Sunday, (01:00 Monday midnight) and threatened, “If an agreement is not reached, a hell that no one has ever seen before will break out for Hamas.”
In fact, this “hell” threat from Trump is not new either. After taking office, the US President had prioritized this issue and again made the same toned threat on December 2, 2024:
“Everyone is talking about the hostages being held in the Middle East in a very violent, inhuman and against the will of the whole world. But it’s all talk and no action. Let me state the truth, if the hostages are not released before January 20, 2025, when I will proudly assume the office of President of the United States, the Middle East will turn to hell,” he said.
US President Donald Trump later called on Hamas to accept the latest offer presented to it on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on September 7, 2025, saying, “This is my last warning, there will be no more warnings.”

So How Is The Plan Progressing Now?

Hamas conveyed its letter to Trump regarding the plan on October 3, and this letter was shared by the White House.

Hamas’ Letter to Trump

The full text of the letter is as follows:
“Acting on our determination to end the attacks and genocide against our resistant people in the Gaza Strip, our sense of national responsibility, our goal of defending the fixed rights and supreme interests of our people; In order to develop a responsible attitude towards US President Donald Trump’s plan, the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas conducted comprehensive consultations within its leadership institutions, held extensive meetings with Palestinian forces and groups, and also held in-depth consultations with brothers, mediators and friends.
“Hamas Appreciates All Initiatives”
“After detailed evaluations, the movement made its decision and conveyed the following response to the mediators:
Hamas appreciates the Arab, Islamic and international efforts and also US President Donald Trump’s initiatives for calling for an end to the war and destruction in the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, the immediate entry of humanitarian aid, the rejection of occupation and the opposition to the displacement of the Palestinian people.”

Approval for the Release of Hostages

In this context, it approves the release of all the occupier prisoners, consisting of the living and the dead, in accordance with the exchange formula in Trump’s offer, in a way that will ensure the end of the war and the full withdrawal from Gaza. When the necessary field conditions are provided for its implementation, Hamas confirms that it is ready to immediately enter into negotiations through the mediators.
It also reiterates that it agrees to transfer the administration of the Gaza Strip to an independent Palestinian technocrats delegation, based on the Palestinian national consensus and supported by the Arab and Islamic world.”

Following these statements, statements came from world leaders and a call for the implementation of the plan was reiterated.
The plan will be negotiated after this stage. Hamas and Israeli delegations are expected to hold negotiation meetings on the implementation of the plan.
Hamas announced in a statement it made on the night of October 3, 2025 that it would release all 48 hostages, but stated that it did not find the 72-hour period given by the US realistic.
In response to these statements, there is a rapidly advancing process towards the plan.
Channel 12, which broadcasts in Israel, reported that the Israeli negotiation delegation was instructed to set out as soon as possible.