Hamas has voiced objections to the current version of the ceasefire and hostage deal being advanced by US envoy Steve Witkoff, according to insiders familiar with the talks, and is pushing for modifications before offering its approval.
While Hamas has not formally rejected the plan, it has raised numerous concerns and has made clear that it will not accept the proposal without revisions.
Sources told The Jerusalem Post that Hamas believes it was misled by Washington and now views the deal as unfairly tilted toward Israeli interests. One source said the group feels it has been “screwed over” and sees the proposal as lacking any solid commitment to ending the war.
A significant sticking point for Hamas is the demand that all hostages be returned to Israel within seven days, which the group argues would strip it of any future negotiating power.
A person with ties to Hamas told Walla that the organization believes the latest proposal is even more favorable to Israel than previous drafts. According to the source, Witkoff allegedly incorporated many of the conditions presented to him by Israeli official Ron Dermer during a recent meeting.
The same source added that the proposal fails to include a binding American guarantee that a temporary truce would evolve into a lasting peace. It also does not specify whether the ceasefire would continue automatically if negotiations stretch beyond the initial 60-day period, leaving open the possibility that Israel could resume military operations, as it did in March.
Responding to some of the public commentary, a senior Israeli official clarified that “Contrary to reports, the Witkoff agreement proposed in recent days did not determine the new deployment line of the IDF, nor the manner in which aid would be distributed within the framework of a ceasefire.”
Hamas, in an official statement, confirmed that it has received the latest version of the deal through mediators and is evaluating it carefully. “The Hamas Movement’s leadership has received the new Witkoff proposal from the mediators and is reviewing it responsibly to serve the interests of our people, provide them relief, and achieve a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” the group stated.
As it stands, the proposed arrangement reportedly includes the release of ten living hostages and the bodies of eighteen more, with the exchanges occurring in two separate stages, according to The Jerusalem Post.
The proposal also lays out a 60-day ceasefire that could be prolonged if both parties consent. During this period, Israeli forces would withdraw from parts of Gaza, and the United Nations would oversee the delivery of humanitarian supplies.
{Matzav.com Israel}