Hamas announced Friday that it had “submitted a positive response” to a proposed 60-day ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, potentially paving the way for a breakthrough after months of stalled negotiations and continued fighting.
Hamas has “submitted a positive response to the mediators, and the movement is fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework,” the group said in a statement, per CNN.
The response comes after the Trump administration worked for months to bring the fighting to a halt.
Israel had already agreed to the U.S.-brokered framework, clearing the way for both sides to move into final, detailed negotiations before a formal ceasefire deal is reached.
Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American intermediary engaged in direct talks with Hamas, praised the group’s response in a Facebook post.
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“We are now much closer to ending this cursed war,” he wrote, adding that Hamas had introduced “amendments it deemed necessary.”
“In my view, these amendments will not prevent reaching a ceasefire agreement within the coming week, God willing,” he said.
An Israeli source familiar with the talks told CNN Friday that Israel had anticipated a positive response from Hamas, noting that the group had proposed minor wording changes to the proposal. The source added that these adjustments were not expected to jeopardize progress toward a ceasefire.
President Donald Trump expressed optimism Friday, saying a ceasefire agreement in Gaza could be reached as early as next week following Hamas’s response.
“We have to get it over with,” Trump said. “We have to do something about Gaza.”
Under the proposal, of the 50 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, Hamas would release 10—eight alive and 18 confirmed dead—over the course of the ceasefire. On the first day, Hamas would release eight living hostages in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
In return, Israel would begin withdrawing forces from parts of northern Gaza, and both sides would enter negotiations aimed at establishing a permanent ceasefire, CNN noted.
The agreement stipulates that the hostage releases occur without any public ceremonies or displays by Hamas. The remaining hostages would be released on four additional dates outlined in the deal.
Momentum for a ceasefire grew after last month’s 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. In response, Qatar, acting as a key mediator, launched a renewed push for indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, seeking to bridge gaps using elements from earlier proposals.
The new proposal includes stronger assurances about the US’s commitment to keeping Israel at the negotiating table to reach a permanent ceasefire deal, during or potentially after the 60-day truce, according to an Israeli official and source familiar with the negotiations.
It also commits Israel to allowing a surge of aid into Gaza through traditional humanitarian channels, rather than through the controversial Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Trump has been actively pressing for a ceasefire, stating Tuesday that Israel had “agreed to the necessary conditions” to finalize a 60-day halt in fighting. In a post on Truth Social, he urged Hamas to accept the deal, warning the group not to miss the opportunity.
“I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” he said, thanking Qatar and Egypt for their roles in furthering the peace process.
Israel accepted the latest proposal on Tuesday, coinciding with a visit to Washington, D.C. by Ron Dermer, a close adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the trip, Dermer held meetings with senior Trump administration officials, including U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The following day, Hamas said it was discussing the proposal as part of “national consultations.”
I know that the War between Israel and Gaza should be over with. Not sure if Trump needs to broker anything at all. This Nation is ins Mourning for the Children who have been taken too soon from Our Blessed Country. Sending Prayers to Texas. I don’t care what Kama Haris does. She is nothing but a night mare that should never be talked about. Another California piece of unhappy person. Glad her and Biden are long gone and these two should never ever bein the headlines again. .