WASHINGTON(National times)- US President Donald Trump said Friday he believed Hamas was ready for “lasting peace” and told Israel to stop bombing Gaza, after the Palestinian militant group declared it was ready to free hostages under his ceasefire plan. Trump’s statement marked the first time since his return to power in January that he has explicitly called on key US ally Israel — which has yet to react — to halt its bombardment. “Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.” Trump also shared the Hamas statement on his social media — in an almost unheard of move for a US president — as did the White House. Trump later posted a short video message in which he hailed Hamas’s statement and thanked US allies including Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Jordan for mediating. “This is a very special day, maybe unprecedented,” Trump said from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, adding that “I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents.”

‘TREATED FAIRLY’

Trump has repeatedly stressed that getting the hostages seized by Hamas in its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel is a priority for him. He has also pushed hard for a deal to end a war that he blames on his predecessor Joe Biden. Trump said in the video that “everybody will be treated fairly” in the negotiations for a deal. He did not give details but his comment came amid silence from Israel on Hamas’s statement. The Axios news outlet said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been “surprised” by Trump’s response, and that it viewed Hamas’s statement as failing to meet key aspects of Trump’s peace plan. Netanyahu was alongside Trump as he unveiled the 20-point program at the White House on Monday, and said at the time Hamas must stick to all the elements of the plan. Trump had given a deadline of late Sunday for Hamas to respond to the peace plan or face “hell.” Hamas called Trump’s urging of Israel to stop bombing Gaza as “encouraging.” But a senior Hamas official, Mahmoud Mardawi, told AFP on Friday that Trump’s plan was “vague, ambiguous and lacks clarity.”