48 Hours… Hamas Sets Deadline to Respond to Gaza Truce Proposal

15th April 2025

1 minute read

48 Hours... Hamas Sets Deadline to Respond to Gaza Truce Proposal

A senior official from the Palestinian Hamas movement stated that the group will respond within 48 hours to the new ceasefire proposal for Gaza.

Israeli sources revealed yesterday a partial breakthrough in the ongoing negotiations over a prisoner exchange and ceasefire in Gaza, which are being led by Egypt.

According to these sources, while Hamas initially insisted on including five Israeli hostages in the first phase of the agreement, it is now reportedly prepared to release nine hostages—close to the eleven live hostages demanded by Israel.

In return, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from its jails, based on the same criteria used in the previous agreement. Humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip would also resume.

However, the main sticking point remains Hamas‘s demand for guarantees that negotiations on the second phase of the agreement will indeed commence, and that Israel will not withdraw from them as it did previously. Hamas also insists that these negotiations must lead to an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

So far, Israel has refused to commit to ending the war. The United States is attempting to address this issue by assuring the mediators that, if Hamas agrees to the deal, negotiations on the second phase—aimed at ending the war—will begin.