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Hamas Responds Positively To Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

Mahmoud Issa/Reuters
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Hamas announced on Friday that it had “submitted a positive response” to a proposed 60-day ceasefire agreement with Israel, signaling a potential breakthrough in efforts to halt the months-long conflict in Gaza.

“Hamas has submitted a positive response to the mediators, and the movement is fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework,” the group said in a statement.

The response follows Israel’s earlier acceptance of the U.S.-sponsored framework, paving the way for both sides to move into detailed negotiations aimed at finalizing the deal.

Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American interlocutor engaged in direct dialogue with Hamas, welcomed the development on Facebook, stating: “We are now much closer to ending this cursed war.” He noted that Hamas had introduced “amendments it deemed necessary” and added, “In my view, these amendments will not prevent reaching a ceasefire agreement within the coming week, God willing.”

An Israeli source familiar with the situation said the government had anticipated Hamas’ positive response and indicated that the revised language in the proposal was unlikely to derail ceasefire efforts.

U.S. President Donald Trump also expressed optimism on Friday, saying he believed a deal could be reached next week. “We have to get it over with,” Trump said. “We have to do something about Gaza.”

The proposed agreement includes the release of 10 living and 18 deceased Israeli hostages from among the approximately 50 still held in Gaza. On the first day of the ceasefire, Hamas would release eight living hostages in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Following that, Israel would withdraw from parts of northern Gaza, and negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire would begin.

The agreement stipulates that the release of hostages will occur without public ceremonies or fanfare. The remaining hostages would be released in four additional phases, with dates already specified in the proposal.

Diplomatic momentum increased following last month’s 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, prompting renewed mediation efforts. Qatar, a key facilitator, launched another round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at reaching a “middle ground” based on earlier proposals.

The updated framework reportedly includes stronger assurances of U.S. involvement in keeping Israel engaged in talks toward a permanent truce, either during or after the proposed 60-day cessation. An Israeli official also confirmed that the deal would commit Israel to allow a significant increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza through standard channels, bypassing the contentious Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

President Trump has been actively pushing for a ceasefire. On Tuesday, he stated that Israel had “agreed to the necessary conditions” for a 60-day halt to hostilities. In a post on Truth Social, he urged Hamas to agree to the terms, writing, “I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” while also thanking Qatar and Egypt for their efforts in moving the proposal forward.