In a significant development in the ongoing Gaza conflict, Hamas announced on Saturday that it had formally responded to a ceasefire proposal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
The proposal, which includes key terms for a potential ceasefire, outlines an exchange of hostages and prisoners and calls for the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
According to a statement released by the Palestinian militant group, the response came after a series of national consultations. Hamas expressed a willingness to release ten living hostages and return the bodies of 18 individuals in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
“The proposal aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, and to ensure the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to our people,” the Hamas statement read.
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While the statement did not explicitly mention requested changes to the U.S.-backed plan, a Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations told Reuters that Hamas had sought several amendments but viewed the overall framework positively.
There was no immediate official reaction from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. However, earlier reports from Israeli media indicated that Netanyahu informed the families of hostages that Israel had accepted the core elements of Witkoff’s proposal. His office has so far declined to comment publicly on the matter.
Past ceasefire talks have repeatedly collapsed due to stark differences between the two sides. Israel maintains that any agreement must include Hamas’ full disarmament, its removal as both a military and governing force, and the release of all remaining 58 hostages still held in Gaza.
Hamas, in contrast, has refused to surrender its weapons and continues to demand a full withdrawal of Israeli troops and a definitive end to the war.
The conflict, which escalated following the deadly Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023—resulting in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages taken—has since turned Gaza into a humanitarian disaster zone. According to health officials in Gaza, over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing Israeli military campaign.
With the latest proposal on the table, hopes have been cautiously reignited for a diplomatic breakthrough. However, achieving lasting peace will depend on whether both sides can make critical compromises in the coming days.
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