Hamas Responds to US Proposal for Gaza Ceasefire and Prisoner Exchange
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Hamas announced on Saturday that it has officially submitted its response to the latest ceasefire proposal from US envoy Steven Witkoff. The proposal aims to end the ongoing genocide in Gaza and facilitate a prisoner exchange deal.
In a statement, Hamas said it agreed to release 10 living Israeli prisoners and hand over 18 bodies in exchange for a number of Palestinian detainees to be agreed upon.
The movement confirmed that it delivered its response to mediators. The decision came after national consultations and reflects Hamas’ “high responsibility toward our people and their suffering”, according to the statement. The resistance movement emphasized that any agreement must ensure a permanent ceasefire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid.
A Hamas official told Reuters the group responded positively to Witkoff’s proposal but is seeking several amendments.
According to information obtained by Al Jazeera, the US proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire, with President Donald Trump personally guaranteeing Israel’s commitment to stop the fighting. The deal also calls for immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza through agreed channels, including the United Nations.
However, Israeli media expressed skepticism about Hamas’s response.
Channel 12 reported that Israel had not received an official reply from Hamas. Israeli officials told the channel that the current response was seen as “an attempt to force an end to the war.”
Israel’s Army Radio claimed that Hamas’s statement was vague and did not clarify whether the group fully accepted the Witkoff proposal or included reservations.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Kan broadcaster quoted a source saying Hamas wants key amendments to the deal. These include a clear path to ending the war and releasing Palestinian detainees in multiple stages. The source said Israel must now decide whether to enter negotiations or escalate the war.
On the US side, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News that US President Trump was “very optimistic yesterday” about a ceasefire in Gaza. She said Trump is determined to play an active role “in ending the massacre” in Gaza.
However, she also reiterated the US stance, shared by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that “Hamas cannot be allowed to continue existing.”
Meanwhile, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported internal tensions within the Israeli leadership. According to officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – who faces war crimes charges at the International Criminal Court – criticized his close ally Ron Dermer, who leads the Israeli negotiation team.
Netanyahu was reportedly frustrated with Dermer for “failing to anticipate the shift in the American position toward Israel.” Sources said Netanyahu expressed disappointment in private discussions and viewed Dermer’s assessment of US policy as a serious misjudgment.
Since October 2023, Israel has waged a relentless genocide in Gaza. International experts have described it as a campaign of extermination. The genocide has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, wounded 124,000, and displaced nearly the entire population. Much of Gaza now lies in ruins, in the worst destruction since World War II.
