(JNS) Israelis who don’t observe Shabbat were taken aback on Friday night by the content and tone of US President Donald Trump’s post on Truth Social after Hamas responded to his plan to end the war.

“Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas,” he wrote, with customary capital letters for emphasis, “I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.”

This by itself was surprising. After all, Hamas’s answer to Trump’s 20-point plan was actually a rejection of it, albeit cloaked in language aimed to suggest otherwise.

But it was the president’s next sentence that came as a shock, at least initially.

“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza,” he declared, yet adding, “so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!”

He went on the clarify, “Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that.”

This was clearly in reference to something that was omitted from Hamas’s response: a claim in Al Jazeera by one of the terrorist group’s remaining “leaders,” Moussa Abu Marzouk, that 72 hours as a time frame for the release of the hostages was “unrealistic under the current circumstances.”

Trump ended his post by saying, “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.”

This sounded as though Trump was suddenly reversing course from his warning earlier in the day that “all hell, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas” if it doesn’t agree to the plan by Sunday at 6 p.m. EST.

Since his top requirement was a return of all 48 hostages—20 living and 48 deceased—before anything else could proceed, his praise for Hamas’s ostensible acceptance of the plan was both curious and worrisome. Even more jaw-dropping was his expressing faith in Hamas’s readiness for “long-lasting peace.”

Yeah, right.

Israelis who stayed awake to follow the dramatic news wondered when and how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was going to react to Trump’s seeming about-face. Those intent on ending the war at all costs were preparing to attack him for presenting an obstacle to this so-called “peace.” The rest of us were very nervous.

On one hand, Netanyahu has to put Israel’s interests first. On the other, Trump has been the greatest friend Israel ever had in the White House.

He was in lock-step with Jerusalem during the United Nations General Assembly in Washington last week. And he emerged from his meeting on Monday with Netanyahu in the Oval Office by announcing the plan that places the onus squarely on Hamas to free the captives and end the fighting.

Figuring out how to reconcile the two in this case is tricky. That’s probably why it took the Prime Minister’s Office a good few hours to decide on the best way to formulate a rebuttal that satisfies Trump without caving to Hamas.

Well, Team Netanyahu pulled it off brilliantly.

“In light of Hamas’s response, Israel is preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of President Trump’s plan for the immediate release of all the hostages,” the PMO statement read. “We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to bring the war to an end in accordance with the principles set by Israel, which align with President Trump’s vision.”

It was the perfect way to remind everyone involved that unless every last hostage is released ASAP, Israel will have carte blanche in the Strip. Since this is in keeping with Trump’s own threats and promises, it was safe to assume that he’d consider it both sufficiently respectful of his wishes and appropriately tough from Israel’s perspective.

Given Trump’s subsequent post on Saturday, the assumption was correct.

“I appreciate that Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing in order to give the Hostage release and Peace Deal a chance to be completed,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off. I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again. Let’s get this done, FAST. Everyone will be treated fairly!”

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