Hamas says in a statement that a response has been submitted to the US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday. It appears that Hamas is ready to release ten living hostages and hand over 18 bodies in exchange for an "agreed number of Palestinian prisoners".
A Hamas source with insight into the negotiations says to the AFP news agency that the answer is "positive", but that it emphasizes new conditions linked to "guarantees of a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal" from Gaza.
Witkoff says in a comment that Hamas' response is "completely unacceptable and takes us only backwards", writes the Israeli Haaretz.
Free passage
Sources state according to Israeli media that Hamas wants to release hostages in more phases than the two proposed. The group wants the inhabitants of Gaza to be allowed to freely pass in and out at the border crossing with Egypt in Rafah. New demands also concern extended emergency aid.
Hamas wants to make it harder for Israel to resume fighting if negotiations on a permanent ceasefire break down during the temporary ceasefire's 60 days, writes The Times of Israel.
An Israeli source tells Haaretz that Hamas' response with the new conditions is to be regarded as a no.
They have outlined their own proposal with entirely different elements, says the person to the newspaper.
Israeli yes
The US submitted its latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza to the parties on Thursday. According to the proposal, Hamas is to release ten hostages and the bodies of the deceased in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire. A certain number of imprisoned Palestinians are to be released by Israel.
Both the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US announced already on Thursday that Israel had said yes to the proposal. Hamas has delayed its answer until now.
Hamas took a total of 251 people hostage in the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. Of the 58 who are left, at least 20 are believed to still be alive.
A previous ceasefire was broken unilaterally by Israel on March 18.
