On Saturday, Hamas announced it was requesting changes to a U.S.-supported proposal for a temporary truce with Israel in Gaza, but President Donald Trump’s representative dismissed the group’s reply as “completely unacceptable.”
The Palestinian militant organization stated it was ready to free 10 living hostages and deliver the remains of 18 deceased in return for Palestinian inmates in Israeli jails. However, Hamas restated their demands for the cessation of hostilities and the removal of Israeli forces from Gaza, conditions that Israel has turned down.
A Hamas official described the group’s response to the proposals from Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff as “positive” but said it was seeking some amendments. The official did not elaborate on the changes being sought.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that while his government had agreed to Witkoff’s outline, Hamas was continuing its rejection of the plan. “Israel will continue its action for the return of our hostages and the defeat of Hamas,” he said in a statement.
Hamas said in a statement: “This response aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to our people in the Strip.”
The document featuring Hamas’ reply insists that residents of Gaza should have free passage through the Rafah crossing and that the flow of goods must be restarted. It emphasizes the need to rebuild Gaza’s infrastructure, such as electricity, water, and sanitation, and requests authorization for construction materials necessary to restore hospitals, health centers, schools, and bakeries throughout the area.
According to the Hamas plan, as stated in the document endorsed by Trump and mediators from Egypt and Qatar, Israel would halt all military operations in Gaza once the ceasefire agreement is implemented, with assistance provided by the United Nations, the Red Crescent, and other mutually agreed avenues.
The Palestinian organization stated it would share data on the count of both living and dead Israeli hostages in Gaza in return for information regarding Palestinian inmates held since Hamas’s assault on October 7, 2023. The plans foresee a 60-day ceasefire and the swapping of 28 out of the 58 hostages remaining in Gaza for over 1,200 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, as well as the delivery of humanitarian assistance into the territory.
Senior Hamas figure Basem Naim refuted any dismissal of Witkoff’s proposal but stated that Israel’s reply was inconsistent with what was previously agreed upon. He charged the U.S. envoy with displaying “total bias” in support of Israel.
A Palestinian official knowledgeable about the discussions informed Reuters that one of the changes Hamas is requesting is a phased release of hostages in three stages throughout the 60-day ceasefire, along with increased aid distribution in various locations. The official stated that Hamas is also seeking assurances that the agreement will result in a lasting ceasefire.
