US President Donald Trump has said Israel "must immediately stop bombing Gaza".
Mr Trump said he believed Hamas was ready for peace after the militant group declared it was ready to free hostages under his ceasefire plan.
"Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!" Mr Trump posted on Truth Social.
It comes as Hamas said it would agree to some aspects of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the Gaza war, including releasing hostages and handing over administration of the enclave, but that it would seek negotiations over many of its other terms.
In a copy of the statement seen by Reuters, Hamas issued its response to Mr Trump's 20-point plan after the US president gave the Palestinian militant group until Sunday to accept or reject the proposal.
Mr Trump has not said whether the terms would be subject to negotiation, as Hamas is seeking.
Notably, Hamas did not say whether it would agree to a stipulation that it disarm, a demand by Israel and the US that it has previously rejected.
In its statement, Hamas said it "appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of US President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, (and) the immediate entry of aid," among other terms.
It said it was announcing its "approval of releasing all occupation prisoners - both living and remains - according to the exchange formula contained in Mr Trump's proposal, with the necessary field conditions for implementing the exchange".
But Hamas added: "In this context, the movement affirms its readiness to immediately enter, through the mediators, into negotiations to discuss the details."
The group said it was ready "to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats) based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing."
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Hamas' response to the proposal, which is backed by Israel as well as Arab and European powers.
US President Donald Trump had issued an ultimatum to Hamas of Sunday to accept his Gaza peace deal or face "all hell".
The Palestinian militant group has until "Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time," Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. This is 11pm Irish time.
"If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas."
On Tuesday, Mr Trump gave Hamas an ultimatum of "three or four days" to accept his plan to end the nearly two-year war in the Palestinian territory.
The plan calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages within 72 hours, Hamas's disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. That would be followed by a post-war transitional authority headed by Mr Trump himself.
World powers, including Arab and Muslim nations, have welcomed the proposal.
Read more: Key points from US peace proposal for Gaza
Mohammad Nazzal, a member of Hamas's political bureau, said in a statement today that the "plan has points of concern, and we will announce our position on it soon".
"We are in contact with mediators and with Arab and Islamic parties, and we are serious about reaching understandings," he added.
A Palestinian source close to Hamas's leadership said on Wednesday that the Islamist movement "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, the source added.
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Two opinions exist within Hamas, says source
Another source familiar with the negotiations said that "two opinions exist within Hamas".
"The first supports unconditional approval, as the priority is a ceasefire under Trump's guarantees, with mediators ensuring Israel implements the plan," the source said.
"The second has serious reservations regarding key clauses, rejecting disarmament and the expulsion of any Palestinian from Gaza. They favour conditional approval with clarifications reflecting Hamas's and the resistance factions' demands," the source added.
The war was triggered by Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 66,225 Palestinians, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable.
Their data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.
