Hamas Informs Mediators It Will Accept Hostage-Ceasefire Agreement By The Media Line Staff Hamas signaled to Qatari and Egyptian mediators its agreement to the newest version of the hostage release and ceasefire agreement. The proposal calls for the release of 10 Israeli hostages in exchange for a 60-day truce and 150 Palestinian prisoners serving life […]
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The Media Line: Hamas Informs Mediators It Will Accept Hostage-Ceasefire Agreement
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Hamas Informs Mediators It Will Accept Hostage-Ceasefire Agreement
By The Media Line Staff
Hamas signaled to Qatari and Egyptian mediators its agreement to the newest version of the hostage release and ceasefire agreement. The proposal calls for the release of 10 Israeli hostages in exchange for a 60-day truce and 150 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences. The plan, presented to Hamas in Cairo, also includes returning the bodies of slain hostages, according to an Arab diplomat familiar with the talks.
The diplomat said Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya gave Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani an updated offer that drops many of the demands that previously derailed negotiations. According to Axios, the plan Hamas accepted is “98 percent aligned” with the proposal drafted by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, which Israel had earlier approved.
The framework would allow negotiations for a permanent ceasefire to take place during the two-month truce.
Israel, however, has reiterated its refusal to accept partial arrangements. The Prime Minister’s Office said any agreement must include the release of all hostages at once and align with Israel’s broader war aims: Hamas’s disarmament, Gaza’s demilitarization, and new governance not tied to either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
US President Donald Trump appeared to back Israel’s stance, writing on Truth Social that hostages would only be freed “when Hamas is destroyed.” A regional diplomat suggested the statement was aimed at pressuring Hamas to accept Witkoff’s original deal.
The proposal has also stirred political debate inside Israel. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir warned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “no mandate for a partial deal.” At the same time, opposition leader Benny Gantz countered that a majority in the Knesset supports a hostage agreement, urging Netanyahu to act without delay.