U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday rejected a counter-proposal from Hamas that called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and a full Israeli military withdrawal from the territory.
The proposal was issued in response to a plan originally put forward by Witkoff, which included a 60-day ceasefire, the release of 10 Israeli hostages, and the return of the bodies of 18 others, with negotiations for a permanent ceasefire to follow.
In its reply, Hamas called for a U.S.-guaranteed permanent ceasefire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces to the positions they held in March prior to the collapse of the previous truce, and an uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid. In exchange, Hamas said it would release the 10 Israeli captives and the remains of 18 more, as part of a broader prisoner exchange involving Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Hamas also proposed modifications to the timeline for releasing hostages and prisoners. A key component of the group's offer was a provision that would automatically extend the truce for another 60 days if no permanent ceasefire agreement was reached within the initial period, according to a Hamas source quoted by Axios.
Witkoff rejected the Hamas counter-proposal later on The day of the week following Friday., stating, “The proposal is totally unacceptable and only takes us backwards.” He emphasized that President Donald Trump had already guaranteed Israel’s compliance with the current 60-day framework and reiterated that negotiations on a permanent ceasefire could only begin if Hamas accepted that deal in the coming days.
Though the proposals from both sides contain overlapping elements, the core dispute centers around Hamas’s demand for a binding timeline that would limit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ability to resume military operations after the ceasefire expires.
According to the Times of Israel, a source involved in the negotiations stated that Hamas’s proposal was aimed at ensuring Netanyahu could not unilaterally exit the truce, as he did earlier this year. On March 18, Israel ended the previous ceasefire just 58 days after it took effect on January 19—a move reportedly approved by President Trump.
Another Israeli official cited by Times of Israel said the government views the Hamas proposal as “an effective rejection” of the current offer.
Basem Naeem, member of the Political Bureau of Hamas, would respond to Witkoff’s statement late Saturday stating “We did NOT reject Witkoffs proposal and considered it acceptable for negotiations……Israel’s response does not match what the movement agreed to.”