Gaza City/Cairo/Doha – The Palestinian group Hamas has formally conveyed its response to the latest proposal aimed at securing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, delivered through mediators Egypt and Qatar. The move comes as efforts intensify to halt the fighting that has devastated the enclave, though initial reactions suggest significant hurdles remain.
Hamas stated that it submitted its reply to the proposal put forward by US envoy Steve Witkoff. The group reiterated its long-standing demands, which include a permanent ceasefire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and guarantees for the continuous flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.
Hamas Outlines Conditions and Exchange Proposal
In its detailed response, Hamas did not explicitly endorse the specific terms of the Witkoff proposal. Instead, the group indicated that its reply followed extensive national consultations and reflects its perceived responsibility toward the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The response outlined a specific exchange proposition: the release of 10 Israeli captives and the handover of the bodies of 18 others held by the group, in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners currently held in Israeli jails.
This proposed exchange framework differs from previous iterations of potential deals and appears linked by Hamas to the broader conditions of a permanent cessation of hostilities and withdrawal.
US Envoy Calls Response “Totally Unacceptable”
The initial reaction from the United States was stark. US envoy Steve Witkoff described Hamas’s response as “totally unacceptable.” This swift condemnation from a key architect of the proposal underscores the significant gap that appears to persist between the negotiating positions of the parties involved, despite months of intense diplomatic shuttling by international mediators.
Role of Mediators Egypt and Qatar
The response was channeled through Egypt and Qatar, two nations that have played central roles in mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas throughout the conflict. Their involvement highlights the critical reliance on these regional partners to bridge the divides and facilitate communication between the warring sides, who do not engage in direct negotiations. The content of Hamas’s response is now expected to be reviewed by the mediators and subsequently by Israeli and US officials to determine if there is any basis for further discussion or if new proposals will be required.
Related Developments in the West Bank
Separately, and underscoring the broader political tensions in the region, Israeli officials confirmed that they prevented a scheduled visit by a delegation of Arab foreign ministers to Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. The delegation had reportedly intended to engage with Palestinian Authority officials to discuss support for a future Palestinian state. Israeli authorities cited security concerns as the reason for preventing the visit. They also reiterated their stated opposition to such discussions regarding Palestinian statehood in the current political climate, a stance that remains a major point of contention in international diplomacy surrounding the conflict.
Ongoing Stalemate and Humanitarian Crisis
The exchange of responses and immediate reactions points to the ongoing difficulty in reaching a breakthrough in the protracted negotiations. The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains dire, with international organizations continuously warning of widespread hunger, disease, and lack of essential services for the majority of the population displaced by the fighting. The future of ceasefire talks now appears uncertain, with the mediators facing the challenge of finding common ground between Hamas’s demands for a permanent end to the conflict and withdrawal, and Israel’s stated objectives and security requirements.
