Hamas on Friday said it was ready to release all remaining Israeli captives and hand over power to other Palestinians.
The South African Government has joined countries across the globe in welcoming Hamas’ decision to release all Israeli hostages under the terms of a US plan for Gaza, urging Israel to reciprocate by releasing all Palestinian prisoners, including the children.
Global reactions, including from key mediators, to Hamas’s partial acceptance of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza, have been tinged with hope of halting Israel’s two-year war.
Hostages
Hamas on Friday said it was ready to release all remaining Israeli captives and hand over power to other Palestinians, but other elements of the proposal needed further negotiations.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said Pretoria has taken note of the recent developments, intended to achieve a ceasefire and peace for Gaza and the region.
“These developments towards peace have the potential to alleviate profound human suffering and build much-needed confidence. We welcome the decision by Hamas to release all Israeli hostages and its stated readiness for further engagement. This decision must be met with reciprocal action by the State of Israel.
“Such reciprocal measures will be a confidence-building measure for de-escalation and the restoration of trust. They represent a critical opportunity to uphold universal human dignity and build a foundation for a just and durable peace. We therefore emphasise that the release of Palestinian political prisoners, including children, and the abductees seized from the humanitarian flotilla must be urgently addressed,” Phiri said.
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Peace
Phiri added that South Africa asserted that a lasting peace cannot be built upon the suppression of a people’s “fundamental human rights.”
“We urge all parties to transcend this cycle of confrontation and address the root causes of the conflict. This necessitates an immediate and permanent ceasefire, alongside a definitive political process that realizes the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and statehood. This is in line with relevant United Nations resolutions.
“Guided by a commitment to a rules-based international order founded on international law, South Africa stands ready to support all genuine inclusive efforts aimed at achieving this definitive and peaceful resolution,” Phiri said.
Donald Trump
Meanwhile, Palestinians reacted with shock after Trump appeared to welcome Hamas’s response to his peace plan for the territory.
Soon after Hamas’s statement was published, and Trump wrote on social media that he believed Hamas was ready for peace and called on Israel to stop the bombing of Gaza.
Israel’s army said it would advance preparations for the first phase of Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza and return all the remaining hostages.
Israel attacks
But, Israel launched dozens of air strikes and artillery attacks on Gaza City overnight, Gaza’s civil defence agency said.
At least 20 homes were destroyed, with multiple casualties reported, including children.
The main Israeli group representing the families of hostages held in Gaza said on Saturday that it was “essential” to immediately end the war, as Israel bombarded the territory even after US President Donald Trump called on it to stop.
“President Trump’s demand to stop the war immediately is essential to prevent serious and irreversible harm to the hostages,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.
“We call on Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu to immediately begin efficient and swift negotiations to bring all our hostages home,” it added, according to AFP.
In 2023, South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing it of genocide, an allegation that Israel denies.
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