Hamas Responds to US-Backed Gaza Cease-Fire Plan

The terror group has agreed to a partial hostage release but calls for a permanent truce, aid access, and Israeli military pullout.

The Hamas terrorist group said Saturday it had issued a formal response to a U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal that would pause the war in Gaza for at least 60 days and secure the release of about half of the remaining hostages.

The group said in a statement issued on its Telegram channel on May 31 that, under the deal, it will release 10 living hostages and 18 bodies in return for Israelโ€™s release of an โ€œagreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.โ€

Hamasโ€™s announcement follows weeks of diplomatic efforts led by U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and other mediators to revive a truce that collapsed in early March, when Israel resumed its military campaign in Gaza citing a breakdown in negotiations.

The latest framework, put forward by Witkoff, proposes a two-month pause in fighting, the initial release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees, and renewed talks toward a permanent end to the nearly 20-month-long war.

Already endorsed by Israeli officials, the cease-fire proposal received a tepid response from Hamas on Thursday. The next day, President Donald Trump said negotiators were closing in on a deal.

โ€œTheyโ€™re very close to an agreement on Gaza, and weโ€™ll let you know about it during the day or maybe tomorrow,โ€ Trump told reporters in Washington. Late in the evening, asked if he was confident Hamas would approve the deal, he told reporters: โ€œTheyโ€™re in a big mess. I think they want to get out of it.โ€

In its Saturday response to Witkoffโ€™s plan, Hamas reiterated its demands for a โ€œpermanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and [to] ensure the flow of aid.โ€

A senior Hamas official told the Associated Press the group was seeking amendments to some points of Witkoffโ€™s proposal, โ€œespecially on the U.S. guarantees, the timing of hostage release, the delivery of aid, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.โ€ The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.

Byย Tom Ozimek

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