Amid escalating tensions, Hamas pledges a hostage release while reshaping U.S. ceasefire agreement demands, stressing an urgent humanitarian response and wider political concessions from Israel.
Hamas Offers Hostage Deal Amidst U.S. Ceasefire Demands
Hamas Offers Hostage Deal Amidst U.S. Ceasefire Demands
Hamas proposes releasing hostages but insists on major changes to U.S. ceasefire framework.
Hamas has communicated a willingness to release 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 deceased ones in exchange for an undisclosed number of Palestinian detainees, provided that significant changes are made to the U.S. ceasefire proposal currently on the table. The group also reasserts demands for a lasting truce, a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and uninterrupted humanitarian aid.
This response neither dismisses nor fully accepts the U.S. terms—an indication of Hamas's precarious situation amidst mounting internal pressure from the devastated population of Gaza and the threat of intensified military action from Israel. Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for the Middle East, described Hamas’s response as "unacceptable," urging the movement to embrace the proposed framework.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that while Israel agrees to the updated outline for the hostages’ release, Hamas remains intransigent. The latest proposal involves a 60-day pause in conflict and stipulates the release of 28 Israeli hostages initially, followed by more contingent upon a permanent ceasefire. The U.S. approach was reportedly designed to accommodate Israeli concerns before being offered to Hamas.
The political landscape remains tense, as Israel keeps its military options open, insisting that hostages will only return home when Hamas disarms and relinquishes control of Gaza. As violence continues to escalate, with recent reports indicating hundreds of casualties from Israeli airstrikes, the situation on the ground grows increasingly dire.
Hamas finds itself at a crossroads, balancing the desperate needs of its people against the realities of diplomatic negotiation, aware that outright rejection of the U.S. proposal could lead to further military escalation by Israeli forces.
This response neither dismisses nor fully accepts the U.S. terms—an indication of Hamas's precarious situation amidst mounting internal pressure from the devastated population of Gaza and the threat of intensified military action from Israel. Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for the Middle East, described Hamas’s response as "unacceptable," urging the movement to embrace the proposed framework.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that while Israel agrees to the updated outline for the hostages’ release, Hamas remains intransigent. The latest proposal involves a 60-day pause in conflict and stipulates the release of 28 Israeli hostages initially, followed by more contingent upon a permanent ceasefire. The U.S. approach was reportedly designed to accommodate Israeli concerns before being offered to Hamas.
The political landscape remains tense, as Israel keeps its military options open, insisting that hostages will only return home when Hamas disarms and relinquishes control of Gaza. As violence continues to escalate, with recent reports indicating hundreds of casualties from Israeli airstrikes, the situation on the ground grows increasingly dire.
Hamas finds itself at a crossroads, balancing the desperate needs of its people against the realities of diplomatic negotiation, aware that outright rejection of the U.S. proposal could lead to further military escalation by Israeli forces.
