Musa Iqbal
This article was republished from PressTV. No changes were made to the original content.
The past month has highlighted the global impact of the heroic Palestinian resistance operation, “Al Aqsa Flood,” which will complete two years on Tuesday.
From the Israeli occupation regime’s isolation and condemnation at the UN General Assembly, a UN commission’s finding of genocide in Gaza, and international support for the Global Flotilla (Sumud) to break the naval blockade, to the resistance delivering decisive blows on the battlefield, the occupation regime has clearly been forced onto the back foot.
The writing is on the wall: the crimes of the Zionist occupation over the past two years are reviled by the global majority – from Italy to Spain to the United States itself.
Even within the imperial core of the US and its European allies, a new generation openly embraces the Palestinian cause and legitimate resistance, breaking through entrenched Zionist narratives in dominant Western culture.
In response, the occupation has intensified its genocide, invading Gaza City, bombing the remnants of residential buildings, and collaborating with the Trump administration to impose a ceasefire that offers no guarantee that the hostilities will end and does not define the path to self-determination for Gaza or the broader Palestinian people.
The so-called “20 Point Plan” pitched by Trump is intentionally ripe with contradictions and gray areas in an attempt to force a Hamas agreement, while ultimately not addressing key resistance demands such as the end of the occupation in Gaza and a comprehensive prisoner exchange.
It is to be noted that many of these demands were already previously agreed upon by Hamas multiple times, but it was the Israeli occupation that tore up and backed out of the agreement each time.
Although Trump set a deadline of Sunday, October 5th, for Hamas to respond to the ceasefire agreement, the Gaza-based resistance movement issued a calculated reply on Friday evening.
“In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
In an effort to halt the aggression and war of extermination being waged against our steadfast people in the Gaza Strip, and based on national responsibility and concern for the fundamentals, rights, and supreme interests of our people, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has held in-depth consultations within its leadership institutions, extensive consultations with Palestinian forces and factions, and consultations with mediators and friends to reach a responsible position in dealing with US President Donald Trump’s plan.
After a thorough study, the movement made its decision and submitted the following response to the mediating brothers:
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of US President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, an exchange of prisoners, the immediate entry of aid, the rejection of the Occupation of the Gaza Strip, and the displacement of our Palestinian people from it.
In this context, and in order to achieve a cessation of hostilities and a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, 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. In this context, the movement affirms its readiness to immediately enter into negotiations through the mediators to discuss the details of this agreement.
The movement also renews its agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats), based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support.
The other issues mentioned in President Trump’s proposal regarding the future of the Gaza Strip and the inherent rights of the Palestinian people are linked to a comprehensive national position and based on relevant international laws and resolutions. They are to be discussed within a comprehensive Palestinian national framework. Hamas will be part of it and will contribute to it with full responsibility.
Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas Friday: Rabi’ al-Thani 11, 1447 AH Corresponding to: October 3, 2025 CE”
Instead of outright rejecting the American-Israeli 20-point plan, the resistance movement strategically accepted the immediate demand for a prisoner exchange, an agreement it has supported multiple times, on the condition that the occupation immediately cease its hostilities to create conditions for a proper and smooth exchange.
By prioritizing humanitarian measures – a ceasefire, an end to hostilities, aid distribution, and the return of displaced persons – Hamas places responsibility for continued aggression squarely on the Zionist occupation. This reframes Israel as the obstacle to peace, challenging flawed Western media narratives that have portrayed Hamas as the primary impediment over the past two years.
At the same time, the response opens a dialogue on Gaza’s future, its governance, and the broader Palestinian question, asserting a commitment to “full responsibility.”
Most importantly, it affirms that Gaza’s destiny must be determined by “Palestinian national consensus,” not imposed by foreign actors, including the US.
Hamas’ response strategically points to the same ambiguities embedded in the original 20-point plan, initially designed to entrap the movement, now turned to pressure the American-Israeli axis into ending the protracted genocidal war. Notably, the response omits any mention of disarmament, leaving that issue to be addressed within the broader question of Gaza’s future governance.
After Hamas’ statement, Trump quickly embraced it, going so far as posting the Hamas statement, which explicitly says that the Israeli occupation is committing genocide, on his own social media account. Furthermore, he called on the occupation to stop the bombing of Gaza.
Anyone familiar with the Zionist regime knows it cannot be trusted. Its history is marked by blatant lies, broken agreements, and manipulative tactics for self-interest.
Reports from Gaza describe intensified bombing of Gaza City and surrounding areas shortly after the statement’s release and its acceptance by the US. Although Netanyahu issued a vague statement about fulfilling the captive exchange, the reality on the ground tells a different story.
Further analysis of Hamas’ statement can be informed by examining Zionist media itself through the lens of those perpetrating the genocide.
A former spokesperson of the Zionist regime accuses the United States of “awarding Hamas.”
Zionist billionaire and influence manipulator Bill Ackman described Hamas’ response as “not good” despite Trump openly welcoming it.
Emily Schrader, a Zionist propagandist known for her racist attitudes towards Iranians, expressed her frustration with the White House’s embrace of the Hamas response, saying it helps no one.
While Zionist frustration often signals meaningful progress, something welcomed by much of the global population, the coming days are critical.
The details of the plan and its implementation will be most important. For example, the Zionist entity agreed to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in November 2024- only to violate that ceasefire over 3,000 times ever since.
How the next few days play out will solely be up to the Zionist regime and its American backers.
Hamas has demonstrated diplomatically that it is committed to peace – something it has repeatedly asserted. The combination of military failure, political isolation, and the brewing threat of economic isolation may force the Zionist regime to change course and accept a “permanent ceasefire.”
Yet it may still backtrack, reject the ambiguity of Hamas’ response without dialogue, and persist in its genocidal campaign. As the bombing campaign stretches into its second year, one fact remains indisputable: the responsibility lies squarely with the American-Israeli axis.
Musa Iqbal is the Political Director and Editor at Vox Ummah.
