Hamas is currently reviewing a new ceasefire proposal presented by the United States, despite earlier statements from a senior Hamas official expressing skepticism over the plan’s ability to meet the group’s key demands.
The proposal, brokered by U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, has already received Israel’s approval, according to the White House. The U.S. is now awaiting Hamas’ official response.
Under the proposed 60-day ceasefire, Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in a two-phase prisoner exchange. In return, Israel would release an unspecified number of Palestinian detainees from its prisons, Israeli officials said.
The plan comes amid ongoing violence in Gaza, where Israel resumed its full-scale military offensive on March 18, following the collapse of a two-month truce mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt. That truce had offered a brief reprieve from the conflict.
Since the renewal of hostilities, nearly 4,000 people have been killed in Gaza over the past 10 weeks, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel’s total blockade of the territory remains in effect.
The international community continues to call for a lasting ceasefire and humanitarian relief as negotiations remain at a critical juncture.
