Updated October 4, 2025 at 6:23 AM ChST
Hamas says it will release all Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, as set out in President Trump's 20-point plan this week to end the war in Gaza.
In a statement the Palestinian militant group said, "The movement announces its agreement to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump's proposal, provided the field conditions for the exchange are met."
It said that other parts of the Trump proposal "require further consultations among Palestinians." It did not specify what the "field conditions" were.
Under the plan unveiled earlier this week, a ceasefire would be announced and Hamas would agree to release all 48 hostages it still held following its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, with Hamas handing over the captives — around 20 of who are believed to still be alive — within 72 hours.
The announcement came hours after Trump gave Hamas until 6 p.m. ET on Sunday to give an answer to his plan, which Israel has already said it agrees to.
In a post to Truth Social on Friday morning, Trump said he was giving Hamas a "last chance," or Hamas fighters would be "quickly extinguished." The deadline comes just days before the second anniversary of the conflict.
"If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The White House released its 20-point plan on Monday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Trump. The plan would immediately end Israel's war in Gaza and provide more aid to Gaza in addition to requiring the release of the hostages.
Earlier Friday, a Hamas officials said, "We reject the 'take or leave it approach,'" a Hamas official said Friday. "Our people who have been sacrificing much for two years can not have this end of their basic rights given up."
In his post Friday morning, Trump asked Palestinians in Gaza to move to safer parts of the territory to avoid attacks on Hamas if they don't agree to the deal, but he did not specify where in the strip he meant.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the president's position in the briefing room later in the day.
"I think the entire world should hear the president of the United States loud and clear," she told reporters. "Hamas has an opportunity to accept this plan and to move forward in a peaceful and prosperous manner in the region, and if they don't, the consequences, unfortunately are going to be very tragic."
Earlier this week, Israel ordered Palestinians in Gaza to leave Gaza City and move south. Those who stay, the defense ministry said, would be considered a militant or "supporter of terror."
The United Nations agency coordinating humanitarian efforts in the region said this week it had "received reports of intense strikes in recent days in parts of Deir al Balah, one of the places where people have been told to move. Tents, houses and even a crowded market have been hit, with the UN Human Rights Office reporting that many of those killed appear to be civilians."
The U.N. said that displacement sites in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis are currently hosting more than half a million people. On Friday it called the peace plan a "window of opportunity" for aid to come back in and for hostages to be released.
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