A Hamas source said that the Palestinian resistance group had responded positively to a US-proposed ceasefire deal but emphasised its demand for a permanent ceasefire.
"Hamas informed the mediators of its formal written response, which includes a positive response to (US envoy Steve) Witkoff, but with emphasis on guaranteeing a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal," said the Hamas source with knowledge of the ongoing negotiations.
The Palestinian group Hamas announced earlier that it has submitted its response to the latest US proposal through mediators Egypt and Qatar.
In what appeared to be a list of demands, Hamas issued a statement calling for “a permanent ceasefire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and guarantees for the continuous flow of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in the territory.”
Under the framework of the proposal, the movement proposed releasing 10 Israeli captives and handing over the bodies of 18 others in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.
However, Hamas did not explicitly announce its approval of the Witkoff proposal.
National consultations
The group said the response follows a round of national consultations and reflects its responsibility towards the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Later, Israel’s broadcasting authority KAN claimed in its report, citing Israeli sources, that Hamas is seeking “modifications” to the Witkoff proposal, following the group’s announcement that it had submitted its response to the mediators.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he accepted US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff’s outline for a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange.
While Hamas did not provide any additional information, Israeli and US media, as well as Palestinian sources close to Hamas, earlier reported that the proposal includes a prisoner exchange in which 10 Israelis would be released in exchange for 125 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, 1,111 detainees from Gaza captured after October 7, 2023, and 180 Palestinian bodies.
Witkoff's proposal could see Israel freeing 125 Palestinians serving life sentences, 1,111 others abducted from Gaza, and the bodies of 180 Palestinians in exchange for 10 living Israelis and the remains of 18 Israelis.
Two phases
The releases would be carried out simultaneously and in two phases—the first on day one and the second on day seven—with no public ceremonies.
The proposal also stipulates that humanitarian aid would enter Gaza immediately after approval, to be distributed by the UN and the Red Crescent, with a guarantee of maintaining the ceasefire throughout the agreement period and any subsequent extension.
The terms also include a redeployment of Israeli forces inside Gaza after the exchange phases are completed, starting from the northern part of the enclave and the Netzarim corridor, down to the south.
Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million population.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
A US-brokered Gaza ceasefire plan is gaining ground, but unresolved disputes and deepening humanitarian hurdles threaten its viability.
