IDF Prepares First Phase of Trump Hostage Plan as Israel Pauses Strikes

The Israel Defense Forces said that the Chief of the General Staff called a special meeting to assess the situation and ordered preparations for “the first phase of the Trump plan for the release of the hostages.” They also stressed that troop safety is the top priority and that resources are being sent to Southern Command. The IDF told its troops to stay on high alert and be ready to deal with threats promptly, according to the IDF.

President Donald Trump stated he “appreciates that Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing” to give the hostage release and peace deal “a chance to be completed.” He also told Hamas to “move quickly” or “all bets will be off.” He went on, “Let’s get this done quickly.” His message on Truth Social said, “Everyone will be treated fairly,” according to Truth Social.

Trump declared on Friday that Hamas is “ready for a lasting PEACE” and told Israel to stop bombing so that prisoners can be relocated safely. This came after Washington gave Hamas until Sunday at 6 p.m. to accept a framework and free all hostages. In earlier writings on Truth Social and coverage by Virginia Times, he called Hamas a “ruthless and violent threat” and said that many fighters were “surrounded and militarily trapped,” as reported by Virginia Times.

Hamas, which has previously used wording to reject a U.S. plan, later released a separate written statement saying they were ready to talk about terms through mediators after Trump’s ultimatum. The document that Trump sent says that the group “appreciates… the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump,” agrees to release “all occupation prisoners—both living and remains—according to the exchange formula” in Trump’s proposal, and is ready to “immediately enter… negotiations to discuss the details.” It further asserts that Hamas would agree to let a technocratic group backed by Arab and Islamic states run Gaza, and that a broader Palestinian consensus under international law would deal with bigger political issues, according to Truth Social.