Palestinians inspect the debris at the site of Israeli strikes on a displacement tent camp, in the Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.AFP
On Saturday, indirect talks between Israel and Hamas commenced in Doha, as key mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States continue their efforts to broker a deal.
According to Axios, Witkoff’s updated proposal closely resembles previous offers and includes the release of 10 Israeli captives in exchange for a 45- to 60-day ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli official and a source familiar with the negotiations said.
However, the revised proposal introduces new language clarifying that the new ceasefire and captive deal will be the beginning point for a broader move that could end the war in Gaza.
An Israeli official explained that the updated wording is designed to reassure Hamas that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be able to unilaterally terminate the truce and resume the war, as he did on 18 March.
"The new offer tries to give Hamas confidence that it's worth moving forward with a partial deal now, because it could lead to the end of the war later on," a source close to the talks told Axios.
The sources added that Netanyahu has responded positively but with numerous conditions and reservations.
In a statement on Sunday, Netanyahu’s office said the negotiation team in Doha is currently working "to exhaust every possibility for a deal — whether according to the Witkoff framework or as part of ending the fighting."
According to the statement, such a deal would include the release of all the captives, the exile of Hamas, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has yet to respond to the offer. Sources told Axios that the group seeks explicit guarantees that a temporary ceasefire could evolve into a permanent one.
Earlier on Sunday, a senior Hamas leader told CNN that the group had agreed to release between seven and nine Israeli captives in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 300 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Hours later, another senior Hamas leader, Sami Abu Zuhri, denied and contradicted that proposal in a statement on Al-Aqsa TV Telegram: “There is no truth to the rumours regarding the movement’s agreement to release nine Israeli prisoners in exchange for a two-month ceasefire.”
“We are ready to release the prisoners all at once, provided the occupation commits to a cessation of the war under international guarantees, and we will not hand over the occupation’s prisoners as long as it insists on continuing its aggression against Gaza indefinitely,” he went on.
While Israel and Hamas have negotiation teams in Doha, sources said the real talks on Witkoff’s proposal are currently taking place through other channels, Axios reported.
The White House envoy has been in direct contact with Netanyahu and his adviser, Ron Dermer, and with Hamas leadership in Doha via a backchannel facilitated by Palestinian-American businessman Bishara Bahbah.
This backchannel played a crucial role in securing the release of Israeli-American captive Edan Alexander last week.
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