Hamas willing to accept 'any proposal' in exchange for ceasefire resumption - report

Hamas claims to signal a willingness to release Israeli hostages if a ceasefire is resumed, according to an Al-Araby Al-Jadeed report.

MARCH 20, 2025 07:57

Updated: MARCH 20, 2025 10:20

Hamas terrorists shake hands with child as they stand guard as people gather on the day of the handover of hostages, February 22, 2025. (photo credit: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed) — Hamas terrorists shake hands with child as they stand guard as people gather on the day of the handover of hostages, February 22, 2025.

(photo credit: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed)

Hamas has allegedly told mediators that they are willing to accept any proposal to release Israeli hostages if it includes a resumption of a ceasefire, according to UK-based Qatari news organization Al-Araby Al-Jadeed's report on Thursday.

The Hamas sources also claimed that the terror group did not reject US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff's ceasefire-hostage framework but rather accepted it on the condition that it would lead to a resumed ceasefire.

Witkoff, however, reportedly rejected this, surprising Hamas, according to the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Egyptian sources cited by the Qatari-owned news organization indicated that an Israeli delegation visited Cairo for a few hours on Wednesday evening and that a Hamas delegation is likely to arrive later on Thursday in order to discuss developments with Egyptian officials.

Egypt presented a new proposal for a ceasefire on Tuesday, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported. This included the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, along with five hostage bodies.

Relatives of hostages call for the return of their loved ones in Jerusalem. February 17, 2025. (credit: Raquel G. Frohlich)

It also included embracing Witkoff's framework, which called for the release of half the remaining hostages over the coming weeks.

Egypt reportedly pushes for framework

Additionally, KAN News reported on Thursday that Egypt has been working intensively to convince Hamas to agree to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff's framework for an updated hostage-ceasefire proposal.

מצרים פועלת באינטנסיביות לשכנע את חמאס להסכים להצעת ויטקוף, בה עתידים להשתחרר מספר חטופים חיים כדי לעצור את ההסלמה, כך לפי גורמים המעורים בתוכן הדיון שהתקיים אמש על ידי ראש הממשלה נתניהו בסוגיית החטופים. עוד בדיון עלה כי חמאס לא שינה עמדתו מאז חזרה ישראל לתקיפות@gilicohen10
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 20, 2025

This proposal would see a number of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other Gazan terror groups released alive in order to stop military escalation, the KAN report added, citing sources familiar with ongoing discussions led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on hostage issues.

These discussions also revealed that Hamas has not changed its position on negotiations with Israel since Tuesday's military escalation, the report added.