Israel Accepts US Ceasefire Proposal as Hamas Demands Revisions
The Israeli government has agreed to a new US-backed ceasefire proposal aimed at securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, the White House confirmed Thursday. The proposal, authored by US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, was greenlit by Israeli leadership before being forwarded to Hamas.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Israel signed off on this proposal before it was sent to Hamas. I can also confirm that those discussions are continuing, and we hope that a ceasefire in Gaza will take place so we can return all of the hostages home.”
The plan outlines a 60-day pause in hostilities, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others. In exchange, Israel would free more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners, including 125 serving life sentences. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would also withdraw from parts of Gaza, while the United Nations would oversee the distribution of humanitarian aid. Hundreds of aid trucks would be permitted into Gaza daily.
Despite the proposal, Hamas has expressed dissatisfaction. Bassem Naim, a senior official with the group, said, “The agreement that Israel agreed to does not meet our demands. The Hamas leadership is responsibly considering its response to Witkoff’s proposal.”
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The group contends the proposal lacks a guarantee of a permanent ceasefire and criticizes its vagueness regarding Israeli military redeployment and ceasefire enforcement. A source close to Hamas said the plan fails to prevent Israel from resuming hostilities once hostages are released, as occurred in March.
While some Israeli ministers reportedly oppose the outline, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given it preliminary backing. Still, Israeli officials insist the proposal does not establish a new deployment line for the IDF or finalize aid logistics within Gaza.
Hamas continues to hold 58 hostages, many of whom are presumed dead. Among them are four American Israelis taken on October 7, 2023, whose bodies remain in captivity. Israel has made the return of all hostages a central condition for halting its campaign in Gaza.
Hamas-led gunmen launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Most of Gaza’s 2 million residents have been displaced, and conditions remain dire.
The current impasse reflects deeper divides. Hamas seeks a permanent ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal, and the transfer of power to an independent Palestinian committee. Netanyahu, under pressure from far-right coalition partners, insists on continuing military operations until Hamas is dismantled.
Whether the Witkoff proposal can bridge these gaps remains uncertain. But with US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediation ongoing, the plan represents the most concrete step in months toward de-escalation and hostage recovery.
