Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu confirmed on Thursday that Israel has accepted the outline of a new agreement put forth by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, as he spoke with relatives of hostages who were killed or are still in captivity.
Despite the agreement, Netanyahu remained cautious about the likelihood of Hamas honoring it. “Hamas has yet to respond. We don’t believe that Hamas would return the last hostage, and therefore, we continue fighting until Hamas is eliminated, and we will not leave the Gaza Strip until all the hostages are in our hands.”
During the meeting, families raised questions regarding how decisions would be made about which of the fallen hostages would be included in the exchange. Officials responded that no determination had been finalized on that issue, emphasizing Israel’s position that “all deceased hostages have the same status.”
Relatives who attended described the gathering as “pleasant and to the point,” and voiced gratitude that the Prime Minister’s Office had finally arranged the meeting after what they said was an extended period without communication.
On the same day, Hamas broke its silence regarding the proposed plan. “Our leadership is studying the new proposal responsibly in a manner that preserves our nation’s interest, provides relief, and achieves a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.”
Arabic-language outlets reported that the latest draft presented by the United States outlines a two-stage arrangement: over the course of the first week of a 60-day truce, Hamas would return 10 live hostages and the remains of 18 others. The plan includes provisions for a temporary cessation of hostilities, with U.S. President Donald Trump serving as the guarantor of Israel’s compliance with the ceasefire terms.
{Matzav.com Israel}