Why Hamas delaying its decision on Trump’s Gaza peace plan

Hamas delays decision on peace

Hamas has yet to formally respond to U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly endorsed it. According to The Guardian, Hamas is expected to seek revisions but is unlikely to outright reject the proposal, instead treating it as a base for negotiations.

One reason for the delay is structural, Hamas’s leadership is dispersed across Gaza, Doha, and Istanbul, making coordination complex and time-consuming. The group also faces pressure from Turkey and Qatar, both of which want Hamas to accept compromise in order to ease Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.

But the real sticking point lies in the proposal itself. Trump’s plan calls for an indefinite international administration of Gaza and requires Hamas to surrender its weapons, a condition that analysts say is politically unthinkable for the group. Giving up arms without a concrete roadmap toward Palestinian statehood would undermine Hamas’s identity as a resistance movement, leaving it vulnerable both internally and to rivals.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, has warned that Israel will “finish the job” if Hamas delays or rejects the deal, while Trump has given the group only “three or four days” to reply, threatening that Hamas would “pay in hell” otherwise.

This ultimatum highlights the asymmetry: Israel’s key demands have been incorporated into the plan, while Hamas was not consulted during its drafting. For Hamas, agreeing too quickly risks appearing weak, while rejecting it outright risks further devastation in Gaza.

In essence, Hamas’s hesitation reflects a strategic calculation: how to engage in talks without surrendering its leverage. The delay is less about indecision and more about preserving bargaining power in a process stacked against it.

Hamas torn between gains and disarmament demands

Donald Trump’s ceasefire proposal sets out strict conditions for both sides. Hamas would be required to release all remaining Israeli hostages within 72 hours, while Israel would free more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences. Israeli forces would then gradually withdraw to a buffer zone around Gaza.

Although the release of prisoners could be framed as a significant achievement for Hamas, the requirement to disarm remains a non-negotiable red line. The plan’s ambiguity over the scale and timing of Israeli withdrawals also fuels Hamas’s hesitation.

The war began after Hamas’s 7 October assault in southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw 250 hostages taken. Israel’s response has killed over 66,000 people in Gaza, displaced most of the 2.3 million residents and devastated the territory. Despite heavy losses, Hamas still carries out guerrilla attacks and retains partial control through underground networks and governance in limited areas.

Egypt urges Hamas on peace plan

Egypt's foreign minister said on Thursday that Cairo was working with Qatar and Turkey to convince Hamas to accept U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end a nearly two-year-old war in Gaza, and warned the conflict would escalate if the militant group refused.

Speaking at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris, Badr Abdelatty said it was clear that Hamas had to disarm and that Israel should not be given an excuse to carry on with its offensive in Gaza.

"Let's not give any excuse for one party to use Hamas as a pretext for this mad daily killings of civilians. What's happening is far beyond the seventh of October," he said, referring to the Islamist group's 2023 attack on Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 people taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's offensive has killed over 66,000 people in Gaza, Palestinian health authorities say.

"It is beyond revenge. This is ethnic cleansing and genocide in motion. So enough is enough," Abdelatty said.

White House hints at Hamas deadline

U.S. President Donald Trump will draw a red line on how long to give Hamas to accept an Israel-backed proposal to halt fighting in Gaza, the White House said on Thursday, without explicitly saying whether he would enforce a previously set deadline.

Trump on Tuesday said he would give Hamas three to four days to accept the 20-point document, which calls on the militant group to disarm -- a demand it has previously rejected. Hamas is reviewing the proposal, a source close to the group said on Wednesday.

Asked on the Fox News program "America's Newsroom" to identify a point at which Hamas would be considered to have "walked away" from the proposal, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said:

"Well, it's a very good question, and it's a red line that the president of the United States is going to have to draw. And I'm confident that he will. But the president and his team worked very hard on this 20-point, comprehensive, detailed plan that has been applauded all over the world."

"This is an acceptable plan, and we hope and we expect Hamas should accept this plan so we can move forward," Leavitt added.

The plan specifies an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of all hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and the introduction of a transitional government led by an international body.