Hamas responds to US truce proposal, says will free 10 living hostages as part of deal
Hamas on Saturday said it had responded to a ceasefire proposal from US envoy Steve Witkoff, saying 10 living hostages would be freed from Gaza as part of the deal.
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The Palestinian militant group did not explicitly say it had accepted the version of the proposal it received on Thursday, which reportedly included a provision for the release of 10 living hostages.
Hamas noted that its response had been made out of a 'sense of responsibility towards our people and their suffering'.
The White House previously said the proposal had been approved in advance by Israel, which on Friday warned Hamas to either accept the deal and free the hostages 'or be annihilated'.
Hamas said in a statement on Friday that it had 'submitted its response to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's latest proposal to the mediating parties'.
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'As part of this agreement, 10 living prisoners of the occupation held by the resistance will be released, in addition to the return of 18 bodies, in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners,' it added.
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