Hamas said on Saturday that it had responded to an American ceasefire proposal to pause the war in Gaza for at least 60 days and free about half of the remaining hostages held there.
The announcement follows weeks of efforts by US officials and other mediators to cobble together a new truce. Israel ended a two-month ceasefire in mid-March — citing a deadlock in talks on the next steps in the truce — and resumed attacks on Hamas while blockading humanitarian aid from entering the enclave.
The group did not say whether it had accepted or rejected the deal or if it had put forward new conditions that may or may not be acceptable to Israel.
Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s West Asian envoy, pitched the latest ceasefire framework in the past week. The truce would halt fighting for at least two months, ensure the release of half of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and lead to further US-backed negotiations on a permanent end to the war.
Hamas said it had submitted an answer “after conducting a round of national consultations” that aimed to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensure the flow of aid.
Hamas negotiators have said they are willing to free the remaining hostages in Gaza in exchange for an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from the territory.
New York Times News Service
