ANKARA
As diplomatic efforts to end the Israeli war on Gaza continue, a new proposal by US envoy Steve Witkoff offers a framework aimed at halting the onslaught, facilitating humanitarian relief, and paving the way for a permanent ceasefire.
The 13-point plan outlines a 60-day truce, mutual hostage and prisoner releases, and structured talks on Gaza’s future, according to Israeli and American media and Palestinian sources close to the Hamas movement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he accepted US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff’s outline for a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange.
Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official said Thursday that the movement is continuing to carefully study the new American proposal, noting that it does not meet many of its fundamental demands, foremost among them guaranteeing a complete end to the war in Gaza and providing clear commitments to Israeli withdrawal after the end of the 60-day period.
Below are the key points of the proposal:
1 - Duration
- A 60-day ceasefire is proposed with a guarantee from US President Donald Trump that Israel will uphold the truce throughout the period.
2 - Hostage release
- Hamas will release 10 living Israeli hostages and the remains of 18 others over two stages; half on Day 1, half on Day 7.
3 - Humanitarian aid
- Aid will be sent to Gaza immediately after Hamas approves the ceasefire agreement.
- Any agreement reached regarding aid to civilians will be respected throughout the agreement’s duration.
- Aid will be distributed through channels coordinated with the UN and the Red Crescent.
4 - Israeli military activities
- All Israeli military activities in Gaza will cease once the agreement takes effect.
- During the ceasefire period, there will be a 12-hour daily halt of aerial movement in the Gaza Strip, scheduled on the days of hostage and prisoner exchange.
5 - Redeployment of Israeli army forces
- On Day 1, after the release of hostages, redeployment will occur in northern Gaza and the Netzarim corridor.
- On Day 7, after the release of hostages, redeployment will occur in the southern part of the strip.
- Technical teams will clarify the final redeployment boundaries during close-range negotiations.
6 - Negotiations
- On Day 1, negotiations will begin under the sponsorship of the guarantor mediators regarding arrangements necessary for a permanent ceasefire, including:
a - Results and conditions for exchanging all remaining Israeli hostages in return for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
b - Issues related to the redeployment and withdrawal of Israeli forces and long-term security arrangements inside the Gaza Strip.
c - Arrangements related to the future of the Gaza Strip that either side may propose.
d - The announcement of a permanent ceasefire.
7 - Presidential support
- President Trump to ensure that all parties adhere to the ceasefire agreement, emphasizing that if negotiations in Gaza following the temporary ceasefire do not result in a mutual agreement, they must ultimately lead to a permanent resolution of the conflict.
8 - Release of Palestinian prisoners
- 10 Israeli hostages alive will be released.
- 125 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment and 1,111 detainees from Gaza arrested after Oct. 7, 2023, will be released.
- 180 bodies of Palestinians from Gaza will be handed over.
- Execution will be in two phases: the first half on the first day and the other half on the seventh day.
9 - Status of hostages, prisoners
- On Day 10, Hamas will provide full medical information about the remaining hostages.
- Israel will provide complete information about the Palestinian prisoners detained since Oct. 7, and the number of Palestinian bodies held in Israel, with Hamas committing to ensuring the hostages’ safety during the ceasefire period.
10 - Release of remaining hostages
- Upon reaching an agreement on a permanent ceasefire within 60 days, all remaining hostages from the list of 58 will be released.
- If no agreement is reached, the temporary ceasefire can be extended with agreed terms and duration as long as negotiations are in good faith.
11 - Guarantors
- The guarantors, the US, Egypt, and Qatar, will guarantee the continuation of the ceasefire for 60 days and participate in negotiations regarding permanent arrangements.
12 - Envoy to oversee talks
- US special envoy Steve Witkoff to oversee the negotiation process.
13 - Announcement by President Trump
- President Trump will personally announce the ceasefire agreement.
Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing over 54,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
