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Hamas’s decision came after Israeli officials approved the US proposal for a temporary ceasefire in the nearly 20-month war in Gaza, which has killed over 54,000 people.
Israel resumed its offensive on March 28, killing over 4,000 Palestinians since. (Reuters)
Hamas on Saturday said it had responded to the latest US ceasefire proposal for Gaza, saying 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others would be freed from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal.
“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,” the group said in a statement.
This followed a day after Israel said must accept a hostage deal in Gaza or “be annihilated” as US President Donald Trump said a ceasefire agreement was “very close”. The warning came amid dire conditions on the ground, with the United Nations warning that Gaza’s entire population was at risk of famine.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said Hamas must agree to a ceasefire proposal presented by US envoy Steve Witkoff or be destroyed, after the Palestinian militant group said the deal failed to satisfy its demands. “The Hamas murderers will now be forced to choose: accept the terms of the ‘Witkoff Deal’ for the release of the hostages — or be annihilated,” he said.
Hamas Seeking ‘Amendments’ To Ceasefire Proposal
Meanwhile, a senior official with Hamas told The Associated Press said they are seeking amendments to the ceasefire proposal to the United States. “There are some notes and amendments to some points, especially on the US guarantees, the timing of hostage release, the delivery of aid and the withdrawal of Israeli forces,” the official said.
A ceasefire would pause the fighting for 60 days, release some of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and much-needed food aid and other assistance, according to Hamas and Egyptian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Negotiations to end nearly 20 months of war in Gaza have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough, with Israel resuming operations in March following a short-lived truce that have killed more than 4,000 Palestinians.
Meanwhile, food shortages in Gaza persist, with aid only trickling in after the partial lifting of a two-month blockade, woefully insufficient to help the widespread hunger in the Palestinian enclave. Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency, called Gaza “the hungriest place on Earth”.
(with inputs from agencies)
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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