Islamic Jihad backs Hamas response to US Gaza plan

Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas which took part in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, endorsed on Saturday the group's response to the U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza.

Islamic Jihad's approval of the plan could help facilitate the release of hostages held by both groups in Gaza.

"Hamas' (reaction) to Trump's plan represents the position of the Palestinian resistance factions, and the Islamic Jihad participated responsibly in the consultations that led to this decision," it said in a statement.

Israel, meanwhile, struck Gaza on Saturday, local authorities said, after U.S. President Donald Trump had called for a halt to the bombing and said Hamas is ready for peace, agreeing to release hostages and accepting some other terms in his plan to end the war.

Israeli fire killed six people across Gaza Strip, local authorities said. One strike killed four people in a house in Gaza City while another killed two others in Khan Younis in the south, medical workers and local authorities said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said early on Saturday that Israel was preparing for an "immediate implementation" of the first stage of Trump's Gaza plan for the release of Israeli hostages following Hamas' response.

Shortly after, Israeli media reported that the country's political echelon had instructed the military to reduce offensive activity in Gaza.

The U.S. plan and Hamas' reaction raised spirits among traumatized residents of Gaza, which has been reduced to rubble by two years of Israeli air strikes.

“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive, it saves the people, and thank God that they (Hamas) agreed. This is enough, good people. We are tired, I swear to God, we are tired, tired," said Palestinian Saoud Qarneyta, 32.

The Israeli military chief of staff instructed forces in a statement to advance readiness for the implementation of the first phase of Trump’s plan, without mentioning whether there would be reduction of military activity in Gaza.

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, responded to Trump's 20-point plan after the U.S. president gave the group until Sunday to accept or face grave consequences.

Trump, who has cast himself as the only person capable of achieving peace in Gaza, has invested significant political capital in efforts to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and left U.S. ally Israel increasingly isolated on the world stage.

Trump said on Friday he believed Hamas had shown it was "ready for a lasting PEACE" and he put the onus on Netanyahu's government.

"Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East."

Netanyahu's office said Israel "will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which align with President Trump's vision."