Senior Hamas official confirms Egypt to host conference on Gaza's future

A senior Hamas official said on Saturday that Egypt would organize a conference for Palestinian factions to decide on the future of the Gaza Strip after the war, after the group agreed to release hostages under a U.S. ceasefire plan.

Egypt will host an "intra-Palestinian dialogue on Palestinian unity and the future of Gaza, including the administration of the Gaza Strip," the official told AFP.

Hamas confirmed Friday that it would release hostages held in Gaza under President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan, but did not address the issue of its disarmament and exile from Palestinian territory after the end of the war.

EU says Hamas' response to Trump's plan is "encouraging"

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Saturday welcomed Hamas's positive reaction to President Trump's proposed peace deal and said stopping the war in Gaza was "within our reach."

"Hamas's stated willingness to release hostages and to cooperate on the basis of the recent proposal is encouraging," von der Leyen wrote on X. "We must seize this moment," the European diplomat insisted.

Other reactions in the Middle East

Egypt considered Hamas' response a "positive development" and noted that it will work with the United States, Arab and European countries to reach a permanent cease-fire.

Qatar also welcomed the decision, noting coordination with Washington and Cairo, and applauded Hamas' willingness to release captives under the plan. Turkey, for its part, maintained that the announcement opens the possibility of a lasting peace, although it reiterated its demand for an immediate cessation of Israeli attacks.