Israel Prepares for Hostage Release 

Tel Aviv — The Israeli government announced late Friday that it is preparing for the immediate implementation of the first phase of President Trump’s proposed Gaza peace plan, following a tentative response from Hamas.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel is moving forward with preparations focused on the release of hostages, a key component of the U.S.-led proposal.

“In light of the Hamas response to the Trump peace plan, Israel is making preparations for the immediate implementation of the first phase of the Trump plan, which is the immediate release of all of the hostages,” the statement said. It also affirmed Israel’s willingness to work with the U.S. administration, though it stopped short of agreeing to a ceasefire — a condition President Trump emphasized in his own statement Friday.

“We will continue to fully cooperate with the president and his team in order to end the war in accordance with the principles that Israel laid out and which are in line with President Trump’s vision,” the statement added.

According to Israeli Army Radio, military officials have been ordered to pause a planned ground offensive into Gaza City. The report stated that Israeli civilian leaders instructed the army to reduce operations in the area to defensive measures only, effectively halting plans to occupy the city and displace its population.

The developments follow mixed signals from both sides regarding Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which calls for a phased cessation of hostilities, the release of hostages, and eventual disarmament of Hamas.

While President Trump hailed Hamas’s statement as an “acceptance” of his proposal, Israeli officials expressed skepticism. Sources cited by Axios said Netanyahu viewed the response from Hamas not as acceptance but as a veiled rejection of key elements of the plan.

Hamas has agreed in principle to release both living and deceased hostages, a central demand of the Trump plan. However, the group reportedly refused to disarm or surrender control of Gaza to an international force — conditions included in the broader framework of the U.S. initiative. Hamas also rejected the 72-hour deadline for the hostage release set by the American proposal.

The coming days are expected to test the viability of Trump’s plan as both Israeli and Palestinian leaders navigate intense domestic and international pressure.