Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein released the following statement:

As the heartbreaking, painful, two-year anniversary of the horrific October 7 atrocities and torture of Israeli hostages approaches, Hamas continues to “negotiate” on and reject the deal by rejecting the core parts of the deal that are essential for Israel and peace. As ZOA previously wrote, numerous aspects of the 20-point deal were deeply concerning – but the deal could receive our qualified support because the deal called for Israel to obtain a few essential items. But Hamas’ statements and negotiations now reveal that Hamas is determined to torpedo the few essential advantages that the deal has for Israel, and to exacerbate the deal’s dangers to Israel. It is the classic Palestinian Arab deceptive bait and switch.

Significantly, Hamas is refusing to release the hostages within 72 hours and to disarm or leave Gaza. Further, Hamas is now demanding that the worst terrorist leaders imaginable – guilty of multiple murders – be released to kill and reconstitute Hamas and organize mass terror attacks against innocent Jews again.

Hamas is also demanding that Israel fully withdraw from Gaza on strict timetables regardless of Hamas’ actions – instead of withdrawing to the 20-point deal’s agreed-upon line until conditions are met for a further staged withdrawal. Hamas’ demands mean they are rejecting the deal and destroying the essential deal provision that could enable Israelis to return to and rebuild southern Israel in a modicum of safety.

Hamas is also insisting that it will continue to be in a “comprehensive” Gazan government – another demand that kills fundamental purposes of the 20-point deal, and places Israel in the same dangerous situation it faced two years ago. As Secy. of State Rubio stated, “If you want peace . . . Gaza cannot be governed ‘by Hamas or anything that looks like Hamas.’”

An excellent article by Dr. Avi Perry explains that Hamas’ refusal to disarm or leave Gaza, and refusal to release all the hostages within 72 hours are

“in fact, outright rejections of the plan’s core demands. . . . Hamas’ “yes… but” is simply a hard “no.” … These are not side issues to be bargained down in endless negotiations. They are the essence of Israel’s war effort and the prerequisite for any sustainable peace. Without them, Gaza remains a launchpad for terror, Israeli families remain hostage to Hamas’s cruelty, and Israel remains in a perpetual state of siege. Hamas knows this. That is why their rejection is framed as a “yes… but.” They hope to exploit international pressure, to present themselves as reasonable, and to paint Israel as the spoiler if the deal collapses. But behind the diplomatic smoke, their message is plain: Hamas intends to stay, and Hamas intends to fight. . . . [D]eals require both sides to accept the fundamentals. (Hamas’ Response to Trump: A Clear “No” Disguised as “Yes… but,” Israel Nat’l News, Oct. 4, 2025)

Without the immediate release of the hostages, the reason for the deal collapses. The hostages have been in Hamas’ cruel captivity for way too long. Hamas has already blown through the Sunday, October 5 at 6 p.m. deadline established by President Trump.

Hamas’ other demands, including Hamas’ refusal to disarm or leave, also fundamentally change and collapse the deal. One of Hamas’ efforts to defeat the deal’s disarmament requirement is Hamas leader Ezzedin al-Haddad’s suggestion that Hamas may be willing to transfer rockets to Egypt and the United Nations for storage, but retain assault rifles. Other reports claim that Hamas would only hand over certain arms to another Palestinian entity, or to whichever Palestinian entity ends up ruling Gaza (another terror group, which may also include Hamas). In other reports, Hamas denied agreeing to even handing over any arms to anyone, even another Palestinian or Egyptian entity.

First, refusing to disarm is a nonstarter. Rockets and other arms should be destroyed — not held by Egypt, another Palestinian entity, or the UN “for storage.” In a real peace deal, there is no need to store rockets and arms that can only be used to wreak death and destruction on innocent Israelis.

Second, neither Egypt nor other Palestinian entities nor the UN is competent to store Hamas’ rockets. Egypt allowed the rockets to flow into Gaza to begin with. Other Palestinian entities are also terror entities, and would likely include Hamas. UN agencies, such as the Hamas-pervaded UNRWA, assisted Hamas by storing weapons for Hamas to use, and participated in perpetrating the October 7 atrocities. All handovers “for storage” are easily reversible.

Third, Hamas’ retention of assault rifles is unacceptable and dangerous. Assault rifles are a major offensive weapon, used by Hamas to murder and injure thousands of Israelis and others. A study of innocent Israelis and others seriously injured by Hamas on October 7 revealed that 93.5% had gunshot wounds. 15.6% also had multiple injury mechanisms. That likely means both gunshot wounds plus injuries from other mechanisms used by Hamas including burns, amputations, knife wounds, etc. (See “ORIGINAL STUDY: October 7th Mass Casualty Attack in Israel: Injury Profiles of Hospitalized Casualties,” by Sharon Goldman, MPH; Ari Lipsky, MD; Irina Radimislensky, BSc; Adi Givon, BSc; Ofer Almog, MD; Avi Benov, MD; Israel Trauma Group; and Eldad Katorza, MD, Annals of Surgery, Sept. 2024.)

Hamas would not have been able to kill and wound nearly as many innocent victims without Hamas’ guns.

The youngest October 7 victim of Hamas was a baby who died when she succumbed to her wounds when she was just 14 hours old, after Hamas shot the baby and her mother while the baby was in the womb. Hamas also uses its guns to shoot at and murder Palestinians walking in safe routes and working with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to provide food to Gazans.

In addition, the lists of Hamas’ and other terror groups’ hundreds of terror attacks on innocent Israelis in Israel/Judea/Samaria every month reveal that shooting attacks are responsible for the most serious attacks and casualties. (See data in Wave of Terror, 2015-2025, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.)

Israelis cannot live with Hamas’ demands to depart from Trump’s “take it or leave it” deal under the guise of “some changes.” Accordingly, ZOA strongly urges President Trump and PM Netanyahu: Stick to your guns – and don’t let Hamas keep its guns, “store” its rockets, remain in power, obtain the worst of the worst terror leaders, obtain premature Israeli withdrawals, or delay releasing the hostages a day longer.

Please understand that Hamas’ demands for changes means Hamas has rejected the Trump Deal!