India, Oct. 4 -- In a move that offered hope for end to two-year conflict in war-torn Gaza, the Hamas has agreed to release the last of Israeli hostages. Hamas made the announcement as it partly agreed to a peace plan laid out by US President Donald Trump, adding that it would require negotiations on some other fronts.

Trump responded positively to Hamas's statement, and called on Israel to stop its bombing in Gaza. Hamas not only agreed to release all Israeli hostages, it also said it was willing to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents, "based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing".

However, the Hamas statement no mention of disarming, which was a key...