Protests supporting Gaza take place in Europe

Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated on Sunday.

ByDavid Brennan, Meredith Deliso, and Nadine El-Bawab
Last Updated: October 5, 2025, 1:46 PM EDT

Hamas responded Friday to President Donald Trump's proposal for peace in Gaza, as the president gave a deadline of 6 p.m. ET Sunday to sign on to the plan he unveiled earlier this week.

Hamas said it will release all remaining hostages if Israel withdraws from Gaza and "proper field conditions are met." More negotiations will need to take place to finalize the deal, which Trump unveiled Monday while hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

Any agreement could mean an end to the Israel Defense Forces' operation to take control of Gaza City, the largest urban area in the Gaza Strip.

Multiple Western nations recognized Palestinian statehood in recent weeks while also demanding that Hamas not be part of any future government.

Netanyahu said that Israel will not allow an independent Palestinian state to exist.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Oct 04, 2025, 2:27 AM EDT

IDF commanders meet to 'advance readiness' on ceasefire plan

The Israel Defense Forces said in a post to social media on Saturday morning that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir convened a meeting with top commanders "to advance readiness for the implementation of the first phase of the Trump plan for the release of the hostages."

Smoke rises following an Israeli military strike in the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, on Oct. 3, 2025.
Leo Correa/AP

"At the same time, it was emphasized that the safety of IDF troops is a top priority and that all IDF capabilities will be allocated to the Southern Command to ensure the protection of the troops," the statement added.

"All troops must maintain high alertness and vigilance, in addition to reinforcing the need for a rapid response to neutralize any threat," Zamir said, as quoted in the IDF's statement.

Oct 03, 2025, 8:41 PM EDT

Netanyahu issues statement after Hamas response

Following Hamas' response Friday to Trump's Gaza peace plan, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement, saying Israel is now "preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of President Trump's plan for the immediate release of all the hostages."

The statement, originally in Hebrew, went on to say: "We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team in order to bring the war to an end in accordance with the principles set forth by Israel, which are consistent with President Trump's vision."

Oct 03, 2025, 8:25 PM EDT

Hostages Families Forum calls for 'swift negotiations'

Following Hamas' response to Trump's Gaza proposal, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "immediately begin efficient and swift negotiations to bring all our hostages home."

"President Trump's demand to stop the war immediately is essential to prevent serious and irreversible harm to the hostages," the organization said in a statement.

Oct 03, 2025, 8:05 PM EDT

'We have to get the final word down and concrete': Trump

In a video on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said it is an "unprecedented" day but noted there are still details to be worked out on the deal to end the war in Gaza.

"This is a big day. We'll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down and concrete," Trump said, without going into the status of the talks.

He commended Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and others for working with the U.S.

"We were given a tremendous amount of help. Everybody was unified in wanting this war to end and seeing peace in the Middle East, and we're very close to achieving that," he said.

-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett

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