Hamas Sends Gaza Truce Response as Mediators Grow Furious

Hamas Submitting Revised Response to Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

Hamas has reportedly submitted a revised response to the latest proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. This comes after mediators had previously rejected an earlier version of the group's proposal, which was seen as unacceptable due to its demands. The new submission is considered a softened version of the original, according to an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Israeli government is currently reviewing the updated proposal in full.

The initial response from Hamas, submitted on Tuesday night, was met with swift rejection by mediators. A source involved in the talks told The Times of Israel that the group’s demands were deemed “unacceptable.” Mediators had expressed frustration over what they described as delays and lack of progress from Hamas in the days leading up to the submission.

Earlier in the week, there was optimism among mediators about reaching an agreement. This was fueled by Israel’s willingness to reduce some of its demands regarding the scope of its military presence in Gaza during the proposed two-month truce. However, the Tuesday night response introduced additional conditions, including a call for further Israeli troop withdrawals toward the Gaza border. It also included amendments aimed at making it more difficult for Israel to resume hostilities after the 60-day truce. Additionally, the proposal sought clearer language to end operations by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and requested a higher ratio of security prisoners to be released for each Israeli hostage.

Hamas is internally divided on whether to adopt a hardline stance or make necessary compromises to secure a deal. According to a source involved in the mediation efforts, the group opted for a more hardline approach to maintain internal consensus. This decision has led to growing frustration among mediators, particularly Egyptian and Qatari officials, who have urged Hamas to submit a more acceptable proposal.

One mediator, Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American businessman and former campaign surrogate for Donald Trump, has publicly criticized Hamas for its delays. He tweeted that the group’s procrastination has resulted in daily casualties among the Palestinian people. Bahbah argued that there is no justification for delaying the response or adding non-essential amendments. He suggested that any outstanding issues could be addressed during subsequent negotiations once the 60-day truce is in place.

Meanwhile, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is set to meet with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Italy. A senior Qatari official will also join the discussions. This meeting is expected to be a key step in advancing the negotiations.

Earlier this week, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce announced that Witkoff was heading to the Gaza area, which sparked immediate speculation that a deal was near. However, this was later clarified as a miscommunication, with no official trip to Doha confirmed yet. Negotiators have emphasized that Witkoff will only participate in the talks when they are ready for finalization.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed the administration’s commitment to achieving a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages. She stated, “We want this ceasefire to happen as soon as possible and we want these hostages to be released.”

Negotiations have been ongoing in Doha since July 6. The current proposal involves the release of 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 slain hostages in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian security prisoners during a 60-day truce. Once the temporary ceasefire begins, further talks will focus on the terms of a permanent ceasefire and the release of the remaining 22 hostages, with around 10 believed to be alive.