Hamas Hesitates on Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan as Qatar is Key Power Broker - Israeli leadership divided

Qatar has told Washington that Hamas is likely to support U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the war in Gaza. But on Sunday, a senior Hamas official struck a cautious tone, highlighting the group’s reluctance to fully embrace the initiative.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mahmoud Mardawi, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, said the movement would “examine the American proposal and discuss it with the Palestinian factions,” but dismissed its current form as “vague and without guarantees.” He added:

“The weapons of resistance were not used to attack anyone, but were intended for freedom and independence. What happened is an attempt to stifle international momentum and recognition of the Palestinian state. We will not accept any proposal that does not include determining the fate of the Palestinian people and protecting them from massacre.”

Mixed Messages from Hamas and Islamic Jihad

While Mardawi left the door open to dialogue, Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ziad Nahala rejected the plan outright, describing it as:

“An American-Israeli agreement reflecting Israel’s full position and a recipe for continuing the attack against the Palestinian people. Israel is trying to impose through the United States what it failed to achieve in the war.”

Cairo and Doha in the Spotlight

Egyptian state media reported that Hamas is reviewing the plan “positively and objectively,” underscoring Cairo and Doha’s central role in relaying U.S. terms. For Qatar, the moment represents both leverage and vindication. Diplomats in Washington acknowledge that the recent Israeli apology to Doha, following a botched strike in the Qatari capital, was designed to restore Qatari mediation channels.

During his press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump even joked that he wished to become “a PR man for Qatar,” a comment that underscored Doha’s growing clout. Analysts noted that the optics — including Netanyahu’s stiff demeanor alongside Trump’s jovial aides — reinforced the impression that Israel was forced into an uncomfortable concession.

U.S. Pressure and Netanyahu’s Calculus

Trump admitted the plan was hastily assembled and not “fully baked,” but insisted it could deliver a breakthrough. He claimed Israelis are “tired of war and want the hostages back,” and warned Hamas that a rejection would trigger unified Arab and Muslim action against it — potentially including troop deployments.

“If Hamas rejects the plan, Israel will have all our backing to eliminate them,” Trump said.

For Netanyahu, the proposal poses political peril. The plan leaves ambiguous the role of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza’s future administration, a condition the prime minister firmly opposes. He thanked Trump for not recognizing a Palestinian state, but right-wing allies are already preparing to attack him for concessions.

Nonetheless, Netanyahu stressed that Israel’s red line remains the hostages:

“Yes, and we are committed to getting every single one of them out alive, including the dead hostages.”

Strategic and Diplomatic Implications

Analysts warn that the plan reflects Israel’s growing isolation and dependency on Washington. Qatar emerged as a clear winner, proving its leverage over both Hamas and U.S. diplomacy, while Israel was left to navigate the fallout of an apology widely viewed as humiliating.

Still, Israel can point to one achievement: the plan requires the release of all hostages, living and dead, within 48 hours of a ceasefire — a demand that has united much of the Israeli public.

Next Steps

Washington officials say they are awaiting Qatar’s delivery of Hamas’s formal response. If accepted, follow-on negotiations would be held to coordinate the hostage release and manage the IDF’s deployment in Gaza. Israeli officials confirmed they are preparing to send a delegation to Doha if required.

The coming days will determine whether Trump’s gambit produces a historic breakthrough or deepens the deadlock. Either way, the process has already reshaped the diplomatic balance — with Qatar at the center, and Netanyahu caught between Washington’s demands and his right-wing base.