U.S. President Donald Trump said early Monday that Israel had accepted the terms of his proposal for a potential prisoner exchange and ceasefire in Gaza, stressing that it was now Hamas’s turn to approve.
Trump spoke of the possibility of reaching an agreement soon to end the war on Gaza, framing his remarks as a “final warning” to Hamas about the consequences of rejecting the new American initiative.
What’s New in the Proposal?
According to Axios, U.S. envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff sent a new proposal to Hamas last week. This appears to be the plan Trump unveiled today.
Citing two sources, Axios reported that the new proposal includes a comprehensive solution: the release of all Israeli captives in Gaza in exchange for an end to the war.
The proposal reportedly aims to secure a diplomatic breakthrough before Israel launches its full-scale military operation to occupy Gaza City.
Israel’s state broadcaster and Channel 12 outlined key changes compared to previous initiatives:
- Release of all Israeli captives in Gaza (48 in total — 20 alive and 28 bodies) on the first day of the deal.
- In exchange, Israel would free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners with high sentences, alongside thousands of other detainees.
- Halting Operation “Gideon’s Chariots 2”, Israel’s ongoing plan to occupy Gaza City.
- Launching a new negotiation track led personally by Trump to reach a full agreement ending the war.
Hamas’s Response
In a statement on Sunday evening, Hamas confirmed it had received “some ideas” from the U.S. via mediators regarding a ceasefire deal.
The movement said it was ready to immediately join negotiations to secure the release of all captives in exchange for:
- A clear declaration ending the war.
- Full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
- Establishing a Palestinian committee of independents to govern the Strip immediately.
Hamas also demanded public, binding commitments from Israel to prevent a repeat of past violations, where agreements were overturned by the occupation.
Israel’s Position
Sources close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is seriously considering Trump’s proposal to secure the return of all Israeli captives.
The Previous Proposal
On 18 August, mediators presented an earlier plan for a prisoner exchange and ceasefire:
- Two-month truce, followed by negotiations for a permanent ceasefire.
- Israeli army to redeploy during the truce to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
- Release of 8 Israeli captives alive at the start of the truce.
- Exchange of 10 Israeli captives and 18 bodies for 1,700 Palestinian prisoners, including 45 serving life sentences and 15 with high sentences.
- On day 50, two more Israeli captives would be released, with bodies of the dead handed over in stages.
- Of the 1,700 Palestinians to be released, 1,500 were from Gaza, arrested after 7 October 2023.
Hamas accepted this proposal, but Israel rejected it by imposing conditions such as security control over Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas.
At the time, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari confirmed the plan included a path to a permanent ceasefire.
What It Means
The new American proposal differs from earlier ones by:
- Calling for an immediate full exchange of all captives on day one.
- Linking the deal directly to a complete end to the war.
- Involving Trump personally in managing follow-up negotiations.
While Hamas insists on guarantees of Israeli compliance, the plan — if realised — could mark the first genuine opening toward halting Israel’s war on Gaza, which has already claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives.
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