Moscow, Oct 4 (NationPress) - Kirill Dmitriev, the Special Envoy of the President of Russia for investment and economic cooperation, stated on Saturday that US Presidential Envoy Steven Witkoff played a pivotal role in shaping US President Donald Trump's strategy to address the Gaza crisis.

"President Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff served as the primary catalyst behind Trump's Gaza peace initiative — aimed at fostering enduring tranquility in the Middle East. Established media outlets, notably the NYT, attempted to diminish Witkoff’s contributions — and in doing so, jeopardized peace itself," Dmitriev shared on X.

Earlier in the day, according to Indian time, Trump expressed his approval of Hamas' decision to release all hostages from Gaza, declaring it as "a significant day" and expressing eagerness for the hostages to reunite with their families.

"I want to emphasize that this is a truly remarkable day. In numerous respects, it is unprecedented, but I extend my gratitude to all, especially those wonderful nations that assisted. We are on the brink of accomplishing this. We'll wait to see the final outcome. It's crucial to finalize the details," Trump conveyed in a video address.

In a separate post on Truth Social, Trump insisted that Israel "must immediately halt the bombardment of Gaza, so we can ensure the safe and swift return of the hostages!" He added that he believed Hamas was "ready for a lasting PEACE."

These remarks from Trump followed Hamas' announcement regarding their plans to release all Israeli hostages held in Gaza and return the bodies of captives.

Hamas confirmed via a statement on Telegram, "the movement expresses its readiness to promptly engage in discussions with mediators to negotiate the specifics of this agreement."

They also consented to transfer the governance of Gaza to a "Palestinian body of independent technocrats, grounded on Palestinian national consensus along with Arab and Islamic support."

Approximately 48 individuals are believed to still be in captivity, with 20 presumed to be alive.

Hamas made their decision known shortly after Trump issued an ultimatum, instructing the group to accept his Gaza peace proposal by Sunday or face dire consequences.

In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump declared, "An agreement must be finalized with Hamas by Sunday evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, DC time. Every country has endorsed it! If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like never seen before, will erupt against Hamas," he asserted.

Trump's 20-point peace proposal for Gaza envisions the formation of a temporary technocratic government, with Israel committing to refrain from annexing the Strip and ensuring that no residents are displaced. The agreement calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities if accepted, with all captives, both living and deceased, returned within 72 hours.

Meanwhile, the Israeli government and pertinent security agencies have initiated preparations for the implementation of the initial phase of the "Trump plan" for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) convened a special situation assessment on Saturday in light of the recent events.

"Following directives from the political echelon, the Chief of the General Staff has instructed to expedite readiness for the execution of the first phase of the Trump plan for the hostages' release. It was also emphasized that the safety of IDF troops is paramount, and all IDF resources will be allocated to the Southern Command to ensure troop protection," stated an IDF release.

"The Chief of Staff noted that, due to operational sensitivities, all troops must maintain heightened alertness and vigilance, alongside reinforcing the requirement for a swift response to neutralize any threats," it continued.

The situation assessment meeting was attended by the IDF's Deputy Chief of Staff, the Head of the Operations Directorate, the Head of the Intelligence Directorate, the Head of the Planning Directorate, the Commander of the Defence Intelligence Headquarters, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the Commander of the Southern Command, and the Commander of the Air Force.