Hamas on Saturday said it had responded to a ceasefire proposal from US envoy Steve Witkoff, stating that ten living hostages would be released from Gaza as part of the agreement, alongside the handover of eighteen bodies of Israeli detainees.
In exchange, an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners would be released by Israel. According to the terms of the broader proposal, 125 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment would be freed, along with the remains of 180 Palestinian martyrs.
The plan also includes the eventual release of the remaining 30 Israeli detainees once a permanent ceasefire takes effect.
In a statement published via Telegram, the group confirmed it had delivered its formal response to mediators following “a round of national consultations”.
The Palestinian group said the response was guided by “our deep sense of responsibility towards our people and their suffering”, and aimed to secure a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and uninterrupted humanitarian aid.
“As part of this agreement, ten living Israeli prisoners held by the resistance will be released, along with the handover of eighteen bodies, in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners,” the statement read.
The move comes after weeks of back-and-forth over a proposal put forward by Witkoff, which, according to Reuters, includes a 60-day truce and the release of 28 Israeli detainees – both living and deceased – during the first week.
The plan also calls for the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza upon Hamas’s signing of the deal. The implementation of the agreement is reportedly to be guaranteed by the US, Egypt, and Qatar, and is backed by US President Donald Trump.
Hamas had earlier confirmed it had received the revised US proposal and was “studying it responsibly and in a manner that serves the interests of our people and their relief, and achieves a permanent ceasefire in the Strip.”
On Thursday evening, the White House announced that Israel had agreed to the Witkoff proposal. However, significant obstacles remain before any ceasefire is realised.
Israel continues to insist on the full disarmament of Hamas, the dismantling of its military infrastructure, and the end of its governance in Gaza. It has also made the release of all remaining hostages—currently estimated at 58—a precondition for ending the war.
Hamas has firmly rejected these conditions. The group has refused to surrender its weapons until Israel commits to a full military withdrawal from Gaza, along with a binding agreement to end the war.
The ceasefire proposal comes amid mounting international pressure to bring an end to the conflict. Since Israel began its war on Gaza, over 54,000 Palestinians – mostly civilians – have been killed, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
Humanitarian organisations continue to warn of famine, displacement, and infrastructural collapse across the enclave.
