The head of Hamas‘ military wing in Gaza is understood to have rejected U.S. President Donald Trump‘s peace plan to end the war in Gaza and is determined to continue fighting Israel.
Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who played a key role in the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, is thought to believe the deal was designed to finish Hamas, whether the group accepts it or not.
Trump gave Hamas a deadline of three to four days on Tuesday to accept the peace plan, which has already been endorsed by Israel, warning of ‘a very sad end’ if the group rejected the proposal.
The 20-point plan stipulates that the Islamist militant group must disarm, release the hostages within 72 hours, and agree to a ceasefire.
It calls for Israel to release a number of Palestinian prisoners and withdraw from the Gaza Strip, to enable the introduction of a transitional government led by an international body – meaning Hamas will have no rule in the enclave’s future.
This is unacceptable for al-Haddad, according to the BBC, who is determined to continue fighting.
It is thought that Hamas members are split on whether to accept the deal, with some members of its political leadership in Qatar being ready to agree to it pending amendments.
The officials have little influencer over the decision, however, as they do not have control of the hostages held by the group.
Smoke rises among the area following the Israeli attacks on Gaza City, Gaza on October 2, 2025
The head of Hamas ‘ military wing in Gaza is understood to have rejected U.S. President Donald Trump ‘s peace plan to end the war in Gaza
Palestinian children wait with their empty pots to receive hot meals distributed by charity organisations
Some 48 hostages remain in Gaza, roughly 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
The requirement to free all of the hostages within 72 hours is understood to be a stumbling point for the terrorist group, as such a move would give away their only bargaining chip.
Other terrorist leaders are distrustful of Israel and believe the Trump administration won’t be able to stop Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from resuming his military campaign – especially following the assassination attempt against senior Hamas officials in Doha last month without U.S. approval.
It is understood that some object to the formation of a ‘temporary International Stabilisation Force’ in Gaza, formed by the U.S. and Arab states, with certain Hamas leaders viewing it as a new form of occupation.
A further sticking point is the proposed ‘security buffer zone’ along Gaza’s borders with Egypt and Israel.
It is still unclear how such a zone would be administered, and if Israel were to be involved this would prove contentious.
While Netanyahu agreed to the plan on Monday, he already appears to be pushing back on several of its terms.
In a video posted on X, he insisted that the IDF would would be able to remain in parts of the territory and that Israel would ‘forcibly resist’ the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu shakes hands with Trump after a news conference in the State Dining Room of the White House, September 29, 2025
His comments go against key tenets of the U.S.-backed peace plan, which include the total withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave ‘save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat’.
The plan is also clearly geared towards establishing a ‘credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood’.
The terrorist group has previously said it would not consider disarming until an independent Palestinian state was formed.
A Palestinian source close to the group’s leadership told AFP that some officials want amendments to Trump’s 20-point plan, particularly on the question of demilitarisation.
Hamas negotiators held discussions Tuesday with Turkish, Egyptian and Qatari officials in Doha, the source said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters and adding that the group needed ‘two or three days at most’ to respond.
The source said: ‘Hamas wants to amend some of the clauses such as the one on disarmament and the expulsion of Hamas and faction cadres.’
Hamas leaders also want ‘international guarantees for a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip’ and guarantees that no assassinations attempts will be made inside or outside the territory.
Six people were killed in an Israeli attack last month on Hamas officials meeting in Doha to discuss an earlier ceasefire proposal.
The source added that Hamas was also in touch with ‘other regional and Arab parties’, without giving details.
Another source familiar with the negotiations told AFP the Palestinian group was split over Trump’s plan.
‘So far there are two views within Hamas: the first supports unconditional approval because the important thing is to have a ceasefire guaranteed by Trump, provided that the mediators guarantee Israel’s implementation of the plan,’ the source said, also requesting anonymity.
But others have ‘great reservations on important clauses’, the source added. ‘They reject disarmament and for any Palestinian citizen to be taken away from Gaza.’
‘They support a conditional agreement with clarifications that take into account demands by Hamas and the resistance factions so that the occupation of the Gaza Strip is not legitimised while the resistance is criminalised,’ the source said.
‘Some factions reject the plan, but discussions are ongoing and things will become clearer soon.’
In an interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said parts of the Gaza plan required further ‘clarification’ and talks, including Israel’s withdrawal from the strip.
‘The issue of (Israeli) withdrawal, of course, requires some clarification and some work, and I believe this must be discussed in detail. This is primarily the duty of the Palestinian side, along with the Israeli side,’ he said.
In the wake of its announcement on Monday, European and Middle Eastern leaders welcomed the deal.
The foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan wrote in a joint statement that they appreciated Trump’s ‘leadership and his sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza’.
They added that they were ready to work with the U.S. to get the deal over the line, which they said should result in a ‘two state solution, under which Gaza is fully integrated with the West Bank in a Palestinian state’.
But top Israeli ministers were up in arms over the proposal, with finance minister Bezalel Smotrich describing it as a ‘historic missed opportunity’ that will ‘end in tears’.
Sir Tony Blair is expected to work alongside Trump on a transitional board to oversee the process if Hamas accepts the peace plan.
The U.S. president said there is little scope for negotiation on the deal and that he was only waiting for ‘one signature’ – meaning Hamas.
‘We have one signature that we need, and that signature will pay in hell if they don’t sign,’ he said on Tuesday.
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