Hamas agrees to U.S. proposal on Gaza ceasefire, Palestinian official says
File :
Freed Staff Sgt. Edan Alexander is airlifted along with his family from the Re'im base in southern Israel to Sourasky Hospital in Tel Aviv, May 12, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces). He thanked president Trump for his release but refused to meet Israeli PM Netanyahu , who failed so far in freeing the remaining hostages . The US is now negotiating the release of the remains hostages and a ceasefire with Hamas through Qatar and Egypt
CAIRO- Hamas has agreed to a proposal by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff for a Gaza ceasefire, a Palestinian official close to the group told Reuters on Monday, paving the way for a possible end to the war.
The new proposal, which sees the release of ten hostages and 70 days of truce, was received by Hamas through mediators.
'The proposal includes the release of ten living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in two groups in return for a 70-day ceasefire and a partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip,' the source said.
The proposal also sees the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners by Israel, including hundreds of those serving lengthy prison terms.
There was no immediate comment from Israel.
Following the release of Edan Alexander, a US-Israeli hostage held by Hamas, there have been ongoing reports regarding US negotiations with Hamas, particularly concerning a potential ceasefire in Gaza and the release of remaining hostages
This marks a significant shift in US policy, as the US had previously refrained from direct engagement with the group,
according to NPR
.
Qatar and Egypt have played a key role in mediating between the US and Hamas, facilitating communication and proposing ceasefire frameworks.
There have been reports of indirect communication with Hamas through individuals like Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American businessman, who served as an intermediary in the release of Alexander.
Israeli PM Netanyahu has reportedly been angered over these negotiations because they expose his weakness as a leader .
After Alexander was freed earlier this month , he thanked president Trump and refused to meet Netanyahu
It is clear that the Israeli public has no faith in Netanyahu's handling of the war:
over 70 percent
believe he should resign his position. Yet despite
ongoing protests
, it's equally clear that the prime minister will not be changing course voluntarily.
According to Israeli political analysts 'Netanyahu cares very deeply about maintaining his grip on power: it's the closest thing to a literal get-out-of-jail-free card that a prime minister
staring down criminal conviction
could have. This means that he cares a great deal about the far-right threats to quit his government, and will want to maintain the war as long as he can, absent a major political threat on his other flank.'
(Reuters) / Ya Libnan
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