The world is in a race against time, anxiously awaiting a verdict from Hamas on a sweeping US peace plan for Gaza. With a tight 3-4 day deadline set by President Donald Trump, the decision made by the militant group’s leadership in the coming hours will have immediate and far-reaching consequences.
The pressure is immense. Trump has not only issued a stern warning of a “very sad end” but has also built a formidable global consensus that leaves Hamas diplomatically cornered. Israel, Arab nations, and world powers like Russia and France are all aligned in urging acceptance of the 20-point proposal.
For the people of Gaza, the stakes are life and death. The plan promises to end a war that has killed over 66,000 people and to open the floodgates for humanitarian aid to a starving population. A “yes” from Hamas could mean the beginning of recovery; a “no” could herald an even more brutal phase of the conflict.
The proposal demands the total surrender of Hamas as a military and political entity in exchange for these benefits. The group must release all hostages and lay down its arms, a difficult pill to swallow for any revolutionary movement.
As the final hours of the ultimatum tick away, diplomats, world leaders, and civilians are on edge. The fate of the region hangs on the single word that will come from Hamas’s clandestine leadership.