Hamas has agreed to the outline of a ceasefire deal drafted by US envoy Steve Witkoff, with amendments that include guarantees it would lead to negotiations aimed at permanently ending the Israeli war on Gaza, Middle East Eye has learnt.
The 13-point outline with Hamas changes, obtained through informed Palestinian sources, details terms the group has conditionally accepted.
These include a 60-day ceasefire, with US President Donald Trump proposed as guarantor of Israel’s compliance.
As part of the agreement, Hamas has agreed to release 10 living Israeli captives and the remains of 18 others, in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners to be agreed upon.
However, the group proposed that the releases be carried out in phases: four living captives would be freed on day one, two on day 30, and the final four on day 60. The remains of Israeli captives would also be returned in stages – six on day 10, another six on day 30, and the final six on day 50.
Hamas has also called for Israeli forces to withdraw to the positions they held prior to 2 March 2025.
A Palestinian source close to the negotiations criticised Witkoff for pushing an initial draft that lacked clarity and firm guarantees, telling local media it reflects “ill intention” and warning that it could cause the fragile talks to collapse.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said: “Witkoff’s insistence on releasing all the captives in the first week shows ill intention. Based on previous experience, the Israelis will simply return to full-scale war and sabotage the rest of the agreement.”
He accused the United States of focusing solely on the release of Israeli captives, while ignoring the continued killing of thousands of Palestinians and the spread of famine in Gaza.
“Hamas feels Witkoff betrayed them twice,” the source said. “First, when Israel violated the US-guaranteed deal on 2 March by imposing an embargo on aid and then resuming full-scale war on 18 March – with the full support and cover of Witkoff and the US administration.
“And second, when Hamas released an American-Israeli soldier, Edan Alexander, in good faith, expecting humanitarian relief and a shift in the negotiating approach – which clearly did not happen.”
Ambiguous US wording
During the ceasefire talks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly demanded that all 10 living captives and the 18 bodies be released in the first week – a condition Palestinian negotiators rejected over concerns Israel would resume its military campaign immediately afterward.
While Hamas is demanding an Israeli military withdrawal to positions held before 2 March – short of a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip – the Palestinian source said Witkoff has failed to clarify exactly where Israeli forces would redeploy in his draft.
“Withdrawal to where? Witkoff has been vague about this as well,” the source told MEE.
The source also expressed concern about the lack of transparency regarding the proposed humanitarian aid mechanism, describing the overall framework as offering no viable path to ending the war.
“What guarantees do the Palestinians have for an end to the war? Witkoff and the Israelis are not demonstrating any intention – or offering a path – to bring the conflict to a close.”
According to the source, earlier in the negotiations, Palestinian-American mediator Bishara Bahbah, who is working for the Trump administration, had reached a preliminary understanding with Hamas. The deal had initially been approved by Witkoff.
However, following meetings with Israeli minister Ron Dermer and Netanyahu, Witkoff reportedly reversed his position and withdrew support for the agreement.
US-Israel coordination
According to the Axios news outlet, Witkoff’s ceasefire proposal was “fully coordinated with Israel and was a result of his meeting with Netanyahu’s confidant Ron Dermer” earlier this week.
Axios also reported that Hamas pushed for language stipulating that if a permanent ceasefire deal is not reached within 60 days, the temporary truce would automatically be extended indefinitely.
Earlier this week, Drop Site News reported that Witkoff’s latest proposal was drafted in coordination with Netanyahu and explicitly avoids guaranteeing an end to Israel’s war on Gaza.
Palestinian negotiators have largely agreed to ceasefire terms set out in a deal signed on 17 January, which was violated by Israel on 18 March when it resumed its military campaign.
In the revised document submitted by Hamas, negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would begin immediately once the temporary truce takes effect.
A key clause put forward by Hamas calls for an “independent committee of technocrats” to administer Gaza’s affairs following a permanent ceasefire – a provision that would see Hamas relinquish governing authority in the Strip.
However, reports suggest that Witkoff and Netanyahu have sought to remove provisions that would see Hamas hand over administrative control in Gaza, raising concerns the war could resume after the 60-day period.
On Saturday, Witkoff dismissed Hamas’s amendments as “totally unacceptable and only takes us backward.” He insisted the group accept the existing framework for proximity talks scheduled to begin next week.
Earlier the same day, Hamas said it welcomed Witkoff’s proposal but emphasised the need for key modifications. A Hamas official told Al Jazeera the group had already agreed to an earlier version of the proposal a week earlier, only for Witkoff to return with an altered version that, according to Hamas, omitted crucial elements.
“We cannot accept such a proposal as a baseline for negotiations,” said senior Hamas official Basem Naim, citing the absence of guarantees for a 60-day ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and a full Israeli withdrawal.
Humanitarian aid
In its formal response, Hamas also called for urgent humanitarian and reconstruction measures. These include immediate access to aid, coordinated through the United Nations and organisations such as the Red Crescent, in line with the agreement signed on 19 January 2025, when the first ceasefire deal was reached.
During the negotiation phase, final plans would be developed to rebuild homes, public facilities, and critical infrastructure, alongside assistance for those affected by the war.
The group demanded the full restoration of “electricity, water, sanitation, communications, and roads,” as well as the reopening of hospitals, health centres, schools, and bakeries. Hamas also urged for unrestricted movement through the Rafah crossing with Egypt and the resumption of trade and commercial activity.
Its proposal for a permanent ceasefire includes a “five-to-seven-year halt in hostilities”, to be guaranteed by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar.
While negotiations continue, Washington would remain committed to upholding the truce and ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid, with the goal of concluding talks within 60 days.
Source: MEE
