Hamas introduced it has submitted a “optimistic response” to the mediators in regards to the present ceasefire and hostage trade launch proposal on the desk.
How the proposal will probably be applied would require one other spherical of negotiations, in line with the group.
Palestinians examine the rubble following Israeli strikes on the al-Qattaa household dwelling in al-Tuffah neighbourhood in Gaza Metropolis on Might 31, 2025.
Omar Al-qattaa/AFP by way of Getty Photos
“The motion is absolutely ready to right away enter right into a spherical of negotiations concerning the mechanism for implementing this framework,” Hamas stated.
The deal comes greater than 20 months into the battle — and greater than three months after a earlier deal ended.
Israel had anticipated a response from Hamas on the ceasefire and hostage deal by Friday, an Israeli official informed ABC Information.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s workplace addressed the Hamas response to the ceasefire proposal on the desk, saying in a press release, “the adjustments Hamas are requesting to make” to it are “unacceptable to Israel.”
Nonetheless, the workplace stated a negotiating crew will depart Sunday for Doha, Qatar, to proceed negotiations on the proposal.
“After assessing the state of affairs, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed to just accept the invitation for proximity talks and to proceed the negotiations to return our hostages on the premise of the Qatari proposal that Israel agreed to,” the workplace stated.
Earlier this week, a Hamas adviser stated the group was nonetheless finding out the proposal.
“Hamas is open to any proposal that can finish the Israeli army marketing campaign in Gaza, however Hamas desires ensures that Israel will decide to shifting to the second part of the ceasefire settlement after the primary part, which is ready to final for 60 days,” stated Taher Al-Nounou, media adviser to the top of Hamas.
What’s within the deal?
The revised non permanent ceasefire deal on the desk now offers with the discharge of extra hostages by Hamas, in line with two Israeli sources acquainted with the matter.
The deal requires the discharge of 10 residing hostages from Hamas captivity and the return of 15 our bodies of hostages being held by the terrorist group.
It’s believed there are about 20 residing hostages nonetheless being held by Hamas.
Based on the phrases of the proposal, the discharge of the ten residing hostages and 15 our bodies will probably be staggered over the 60-day interval the non permanent ceasefire is in impact.
Underneath the phrases of the deal, Hamas won’t maintain ceremonies for the hostage releases, as they did throughout a earlier six-week ceasefire.
Dialogue of a everlasting ceasefire will happen through the 60-day interval.
Even after Hamas responds to the proposal, there are nonetheless a number of points that stay to be addressed, one of many sources stated — together with the variety of Palestinian prisoners to be launched in trade for hostages.
In lots of rounds of negotiations, Hamas has sought a assured finish to the struggle in Gaza — however that remained a chief sticking level in latest negotiations and one thing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had not agreed to budge on.
President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu within the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, April 7, 2025.
Kevin Mohatt/Reuters, Recordsdata
President Donald Trump introduced earlier this week that Israel had agreed to circumstances for the 60-day ceasefire in Gaza.
Trump stated representatives from Qatar and Egypt would ship the ultimate proposal to Hamas, which got here after a “lengthy and productive assembly” between Trump officers and Israeli officers in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
“I hope, for the nice of the Center East, that Hamas takes this Deal, as a result of it won’t get higher — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” Trump stated in a submit on his Reality Social platform.
The newest deal comes after months of negotiations over a ceasefire led partly by U.S. Center East Envoy Steve Witkoff.
In Might, the White Home submitted an Israeli-approved proposal for a 60-day ceasefire to Hamas, however the deal stalled.
On the time, Trump urged each Israel and Hamas to make a deal forward of and through his first international coverage journey of his second time period in workplace to the Center East. In the end, a deal was not reached, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ramped up assaults on Gaza after Trump left the area
In January, a six-week non permanent ceasefire went into impact, ensuing within the launch of dozens of captives held by Hamas and an trade of Palestinian prisoners.
Nevertheless, that ceasefire ended on March 18 when Israel resumed army operations towards Hamas in Gaza, with Israel citing the failure to launch the remaining hostages and saying the army was concentrating on Hamas terrorists who posed a risk to Israeli troops and residents.
The Israeli authorities additionally imposed a blockade on humanitarian assist getting into the Gaza Strip on March 2 that lasted for 11 weeks and ended on Might 19.
The Israel-Hamas struggle has taken a grim human toll. Because the struggle started, practically 56,000 folks in Gaza have been killed and greater than 131,000 have been wounded, in line with Gaza’s Hamas-run well being ministry.
The struggle started on Oct. 7, 2023, when 1,200 folks have been killed in a Hamas-led terrorist assault on southern Israel. A whole lot extra have been taken hostage. A minimum of 20 residing hostages are believed to nonetheless stay in Hamas captivity.
-ABC Information’ Dana Savir, Jordana Miller, Diaa Ostaz and Nasser Atta contributed to this report.
