Hamas says deal reached with US envoy for permanent Gaza ceasefire framework

ISTANBUL

The Palestinian group Hamas announced Wednesday that it reached an agreement with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on a general framework for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

“We have reached an agreement on a general framework with Witkoff that ensures a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Gaza, and the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid,” it said in a statement.

The agreement also includes “the establishment of a professional committee to manage Gaza’s affairs once a ceasefire is declared,” it said.

Hamas said it would release 10 living hostages and the remains of several others in exchange for a mutually agreed number of Palestinian prisoners under guarantees from mediators.

"We are on the precipice of sending out a new term sheet that hopefully will be delivered later on today," Witkoff told reporters at the White House.

"I have some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution -- a temporary ceasefire and a long-term resolution, a peaceful resolution of that conflict," he added.

Witkoff said US President Donald Trump would be reviewing the proposal after it is delivered.

There was no immediate comment from mediators Egypt or Qatar on the statement by Hamas.

An Israeli official rejected the announcement, describing the proposal as “unacceptable” to Israel and the US, Israeli media reported.

The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper cited an unnamed Israeli source who rejected the existence of an agreement with Hamas, claiming it is “propaganda and psychological warfare.”

The source alleged that Israel agreed to an unspecified initiative by Witkoff, but Hamas rejected the proposal.

Similarly, Israel’s Channel 12 quoted an unnamed Israeli official who said “we are not aware of any agreement reached between Hamas and the US.”

The official added that Hamas’ attempt to use the term “Witkoff’s framework” to promote its own vision “will not succeed.”

The official said Israel and the US have strongly rejected recent ideas presented by Hamas.

Later, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that Israeli officials involved in indirect negotiations with Hamas are speaking of a “positive development” regarding the possibility of reaching a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal in Gaza.

The broadcaster quoted unnamed Israeli officials participating in the talks as saying that the coming days are “extremely critical.”

It also cited unnamed foreign sources as saying that if Israel shows flexibility on ending the war, the agreement could be signed tomorrow.

Statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office often come from anonymous sources distributed to the media.

Hamas has repeatedly offered to release Israeli captives “all at once” in exchange for ending the war, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu, however, has resisted those terms, instead calling for the disarmament of Palestinian resistance factions and signaling plans to reoccupy Gaza.

Israel estimates that 58 hostages remain in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,100 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons under harsh conditions, including reports of torture, starvation and medical neglect, according to Palestinian and Israeli rights groups.

The Israeli opposition and families of the hostages have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war to appease his far-right coalition partners and maintain power.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for 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.