A 'positive response' with conditions: Inside Hamas's response to ceasefire mediators

Yahoo

05-07-2025

While Hamas appears to be moving forward with ceasefire negotiations, the terror organization still has details in the latest draft of ceasefire arrangements that have yet to be ironed out.
Hamas gave a 'positive response" to a ceasefire and hostage deal to mediators on Friday, Palestinian officials told Reuters.
However, there seem to be several details in the response that have not been clarified yet.
Qatari outlet Al-Araby reported that Hamas requested 'minor amendments' to the plan, which mediators in Doha based on the Witkoff proposal.
Ynet reported that the three changes to the deal that Hamas is seeking regard aid distribution in the Gaza Strip, the withdrawal of IDF troops, and a commitment to not resume fighting after the 60-day period ends.
On Thursday, senior Hamas officials met in Turkey to discuss the proposed framework.
In the deal, 10 hostages are supposed to be released over the course of 60 days.
Under the terms of the deal, eight hostages would be freed on the first day, with two more released on day 50. The bodies of 18 deceased hostages would be returned in three phases across the two-month ceasefire.
The Jerusalem Post originally reported that in exchange for the hostages, 125 Palestinian prisoners plus 1,111 Gazans arrested after October 7 would be released.
Hamas is reportedly demanding that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) be removed from the enclave and that the distribution of aid return to the format from previous ceasefires.
The Ynet report noted that the agreement, as originally seen by Hamas, only stated that "aid will be distributed through agreed channels, including the UN and the Red Crescent,' and did not mention the GHF.
Hamas also allegedly is pushing for a segmented withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, which was outlined in an earlier version of the agreement.
However, the current Qatari-drafted agreement states that the IDF will redeploy its forces to 'maps to be agreed upon,' thus indicating some discrepancies.
In the original Witkoff framework, the IDF will redeploy to northern Gaza and the Netzarim corridor at the start of the ceasefire. However, after a week and pending the release of several hostages' remains, the IDF will pivot and redeploy to southern Gaza.
A source from the IDF told Ynet that 'during the ceasefire, the IDF will remain in the original perimeter set in the buffer zone, plus 250 meters (820 feet) into the Strip." This implies a new buffer zone extending 1.2 to 1.4 kilometers (0.75 to 0.87 miles) into the Gaza Strip. Additionally, the IDF "will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor.'
Hamas is also reportedly demanding a complete end to the war at the end of the 60-day period and wants security guarantees from the US, Qatar, and Egypt.
Notably, sources told the Arab-language paper Asharq al-Aswat that the deal on the table does not currently state a clear end date for the war.
Within Gaza, there appears to be mutual support for the ceasefire deal.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that Hamas had informed it of the deal and that it was 'interested in progressing towards an agreement."
Notable members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition have openly expressed their aversion to ending the war in Gaza.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that Hamas must be eliminated and that Israel should encourage emigration to Gaza.
"It is time to stop the slogging in the Strip and strive for a quick resolution of Hamas, which is the ultimate goal of the war," he said.
Similarly, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that he would oppose any agreements that would end the fighting in Gaza.
"I can tell you with all my heart that it won't happen. I'm talking to [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu about it, and I don't get the impression that he's on his way there," Smotrich said.
Netanyahu has only said that he was seeking a total end to Hamas and has not mentioned an end date to the Israel-Hamas War.
"There will not be a Hamas. There will not be a Hamastan. We're not going back to that. It's over. We will free all our hostages," Netanyahu said last week.
"We will eliminate them down to the ground.'
However, US President Donald Trump has said that he intends to be 'very firm' with Netanyahu about ending the war in Gaza.