According to the Reuters news agency, Hamas has responded positively to a U.S. proposal for a 60-day ceasefire with Israel in exchange for the release of hostages held in Gaza. A Palestinian official confirmed that the response was delivered to mediators Qatar and Egypt and described it as “positive and likely to facilitate an agreement.” The proposal reportedly includes a two-month truce during which Hamas would release half of the remaining Israeli hostages in return for freeing Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
A Hamas official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, stated that the group’s reply had been handed over to Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries. The official added that the response is seen as a constructive step toward reaching a broader agreement. This comes after former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel had agreed to “the necessary conditions” for finalizing the ceasefire deal, although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly commented on the development.
Netanyahu has consistently maintained that Hamas must be disarmed—a demand the militant group has so far refused to entertain. Trump also said he would be “very firm” with Netanyahu regarding the urgency of halting the conflict and expressed hope that a ceasefire could be reached within the week. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on Monday, where the issue is expected to be a key topic of discussion.