Her response to the proposal of US Special Envoy Steve Witkov for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza with the Israelimposed today (31.05.2025) or Hamas.
Although the announcement of Hamas does not specify whether the organization accepts or rejects US proposal for ceasefire with Israelsources told Times of Israel that plans to accept the offerwhile submitting reservations, which were mainly aimed at preventing Israel from starting the war again after the temporary truce.
Hamas’ statement states that her answer to the Witkov proposal aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire and full of Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip – Two demands that the Israeli government has largely rejected at this stage.
It also confirms that the proposal under discussion provides for Liberation of 10 living hostages and bodies of 18 dead hostages in exchange for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.
In 5 and not two stages the release of hostages
The Egyptian Al-Rad channel states that the Palestinian organization, in its response, requires the return of the hostages to separate In 5 stages, instead of 2 included in the American plan.
Hamas wants to release 4 living hostages the first day of the 60 -day truce, 2 living hostages the 30th day and On the last day of the agreement he will release 4 more hostages.
The organization is offered to release the bodies of the dead hostages On the 30th and 50th day of the proposed ceasefire, according to reports.
A source directly involved in the negotiations told the Times of Israel that Hamas’ response to Whitkov’s proposal includes a term that makes Israel more difficult for the re -establishment of hostilities if talks for a permanent ceasefire is not completed until 60.
The source reports that this change aims to prevent the Prime Minister Netanyahu from abandoning the talks of a permanent ceasefire after the release of 10 hostages or refusing to participate in them, as he did during the previous ceasefire in January.
He also states that there were other changes made by the Palestinian organization to the Witten proposal, adding that this would require a more prolonged negotiation process.