Hamas expressed a surprise eagerness to engage in immediate negotiations to implement a U.S.-backed 60-day ceasefire, potentially leading to an end to the nearly 21-month Gaza War. The group conveyed a “positive” response to the draft agreement on July Fourth, which includes provisions for the release of Israeli hostages, increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, and a phased Israeli military withdrawal.
While Hamas has not fully accepted all terms, it has indicated readiness to discuss the implementation mechanisms of the truce. Key conditions from Hamas include guarantees for a permanent end to hostilities, assurance of substantial aid flow through international agencies, and an Israeli military pullback to pre-March 2 positions.
CNN continues:
Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American interlocutor who has been in direct discussions with Hamas, praised the group’s response on Facebook, saying, “We are now much closer to ending this cursed war.”
He said 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 matter said earlier Friday that Israel had expected a positive response from Hamas, with the rewording of a few points in the proposal language. The source said these changes were not expected to derail the ceasefire efforts.
The ceasefire proposal, developed by U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff with mediation from Egypt and Qatar, aims to lay the groundwork for a permanent truce.
President Donald Trump announced late Tuesday that Israel had agreed to the proposal with Hamas.
Taking to social media, Trump urged Hamas to accept the terms, warning that rejection would only lead to greater suffering and fewer options moving forward.
Hamas’ October 7 terror attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 taken hostage, ignited a war that has since claimed over 57,000 Palestinian lives and plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis.
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I don’t trust Iran any further than I can throw them. They have reneged before. We have been played before. When the agreement is signed and things begin to happen, only then will I believe it.
Why are we negotiating with terrorists? What happened to wiping them off the face of the earth?
And what does Israel get from this “deal”. How does Hamas pay for the dead Israelis from October. Does Hamas get to stay in Gaza? Who takes over Gaza. Sounds like Hamas is still in charge. I thought Hamas was supposed to leave Gaza forever. Why are there women and kids in the war zone anyway since there is no guarantee of food. Are these Hamas’s families because near the Egyptian border are safe camps with food being supplied and this is where the women and kids and families are supposed to be not where they can be killed where Hamas military people are. Families were told to leave the war zone to the safe camps. I will bet none of these questions are not even being answered in this deal. It’s just months to give Hamas free time to rebuild themselves and never get Hamas off of Israel’s back.. And where is the proof of the numbers killed by Israel claimed by Hamas. If these numbers are true even more reason for families to be out of the war zone and that should be the first way to stop the killing not keeping Hamas families where the fighting can start up any time. In the Iraq war you saw whole families move out of the war zone and towards the American camps. Gaza isn’t doing this movement towards Egypt with their population . Why? Because they are not looking for a real peace deal, Hamas wants time to rebuild it’s military and make Israel hesitate due to the families in Gaza’s Hamas territory.
HAMAS is like a Leopard! A Leopard can’t change it’s spots and HAMAS can’t change it’s hatred for the Jewish Nation.