Hamas has submitted a revised response to the latest Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, after mediators rejected an earlier version they found “unacceptable.” The new proposal is reportedly more flexible but still faces scrutiny from Israel and U.S. officials.
Tensions have grown as Hamas demands broader Israeli troop withdrawals and stricter guarantees that war won’t resume after a 60-day truce. Mediators, including Egypt and Qatar, pressured Hamas to back off more rigid demands, threatening not to share the earlier response with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
Negotiators hope Thursday’s Rome meeting between Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Witkoff, and a Qatari official will make progress.
Palestinian-American mediator Bishara Bahbah publicly criticized Hamas’s delays, saying they’ve “cost the Palestinian people dozens of victims daily.” The proposed deal would swap 10 living hostages and 18 bodies for an undisclosed number of Palestinian prisoners.
