STORY: U.S. President Donald Trump thanked Arab leaders for their help after Hamas said on Friday (October 3) it would agree to some of the terms in his plan to end the Gaza war, including releasing hostages.

"So many people fought so hard. This is a big day", Trump said in a video uploaded to his Truth Social platform Friday evening.

Hamas issued its response to Trump's 20-point plan after the president gave the Palestinian militant group until Sunday to accept or face grave consequences.

According to a copy of the response seen by Reuters, Hamas did not say if it would agree to disarm and demilitarize Gaza — something Israel and the U.S. want but Hamas has rejected before. It also did not agree to an Israeli withdrawal in stages, as opposed to the immediate, full withdrawal Hamas demands.

Witnesses in Gaza said Israeli military planes intensified their bombing in Gaza City in the hour after Hamas issued its statement, hitting several houses in the Remal neighborhood. There were also strikes on Khan Younis but no reports of casualties, residents said.

In its response to Trump's plan, Hamas said it "appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, (and) the immediate entry of aid," among other terms.

It said it was announcing its "approval of releasing all occupation prisoners — both living and remains — according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump’s proposal, with the necessary field conditions for implementing the exchange."

But Hamas added: "In this context, the movement affirms its readiness to immediately enter, through the mediators, into negotiations to discuss the details."

The group said it was ready "to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats) based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing."

Hamas has previously offered to release all hostages and to hand over administration of the Gaza Strip to a different body.

Trump's 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.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (DONALD TRUMP VIA TRUTH SOCIAL - Access all)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“I want to thank the countries that helped me put this together. Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and so many others. So many people fought so hard. This is a big day. We'll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down and concrete. Very importantly, I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents and having some of the hostages. Unfortunately, you know the condition they're in. Come home, likewise to their parents because their parents wanted them just as much as though that young man or young woman were alive. So, I just want to let you know that this is a very special day, maybe unprecedented in many ways. It is unprecedented. But thank you all and thank you all to those great countries that helped. We were given a tremendous amount of help. Everybody was unified in wanting this war to end and saving peace in the Middle East. And we're very close to achieving that. Thank you all. And everybody will be treated fairly.”/