Hamas said Friday evening that it is still deliberating over the latest hostage deal proposal brokered by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, signaling that the group has not yet rejected the plan, even as senior Hamas officials continue to express reservations due to the lack of a guarantee to end the war.
In an official statement, Hamas said it “is consulting with the Palestinian factions and forces regarding the cease-fire proposal recently received through the mediators from Mr. Witkoff.”
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(Photo: Reuters/Nir Elias, Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein, Omar al-Qattaa / AFP, Reuters/Ronen Zvulun)
On Thursday, senior Hamas official Basem Naim told AFP that “the proposal does not meet the demands of our people,” but added that the organization was continuing to examine it. Sources told Egypt’s Al-Rad channel that Hamas is expected to respond positively, albeit with several reservations. According to Al-Hadath, Hamas delegation head Khalil al-Hayya met with mediators and is expected to deliver a “yes, but” answer.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported Friday that a senior Hamas figure said the group would reject the proposal, citing unmet demands such as a formal end to the war. The source added that Hamas “will respond in due course.”
The plan, quickly accepted by Israel after it was presented late Thursday, includes an initial 60-day cease-fire. During that time, 10 living hostages and 18 bodies would be released in two phases over the course of one week. Of the 58 hostages believed to remain in Gaza, Israeli officials say 20 are confirmed alive and up to 38 are presumed dead.
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Under the framework, negotiations for ending the war would take place during the cease-fire. If an agreement on the terms of war’s end is reached, all remaining hostages—living and dead—would be released. If not, Israel would be able to resume military operations. An alternative scenario would see an extension of the cease-fire in exchange for the release of more hostages.
As part of the proposal, Israel would release 125 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,111 Palestinian detainees arrested after October 7. It would also return 180 bodies of Palestinian terrorists in two phases. On the tenth day of the cease-fire, Hamas would submit a complete list and detailed medical reports on all living hostages.
A senior Israeli official emphasized that Israel will not release Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti under any deal.
Earlier reports claimed the proposal included a shift back to UN-led humanitarian aid distribution and an Israeli military withdrawal to pre-Operation Might and Sword lines. While Israel would retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor, it would reportedly pull back from the Morag Axis, dubbed “Philadelphi 2” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
However, a senior Israeli official denied those reports, stating that the Witkoff proposal does not include fixed lines for troop deployment or a finalized aid distribution mechanism. Netanyahu echoed this in a closed security meeting Thursday, stating that Israel will insist on maintaining the new, direct-aid delivery system even if a deal is reached.