U.S. gives Israel and Hamas new proposal to extend Gaza ceasefire
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Palestinians struggle to survive amid the rubble in Beit Lahia, Northern Gaza. Photo: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images
White House envoy Steve Witkoff presented an updated U.S. proposal for extending the Gaza ceasefire deal by several weeks in return for additional hostage releases by Hamas and the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza, four sources with direct knowledge tell Axios.
Why it matters: The proposal is an effort by the Trump administration to buy more time for negotiations and prevent the resumption of the war during the holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover, two sources said.
- The ceasefire expired on March 1, and while fighting has not resumed Israel has cut off humanitarian aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas to agree to a deal to release more hostages.
- 59 hostages are still held by Hamas in Gaza. Israeli and U.S. officials believe 22 of them are still alive, including American Edan Alexander.
Driving the news: Witkoff arrived in Doha on Tuesday night and held meetings with the Qatari and Egyptian mediators and with Israeli negotiators who are in the Qatari capital.
- Witkoff also held talks with the prime minister of Qatar and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. A senior official from the UAE and a senior adviser to the Palestinian president also attended a meeting that focused on the Egyptian post-war plan for Gaza.
- Witkoff traveled to Doha a week after the direct negotiations between Trump's hostages envoy Adam Boehler and Hamas' chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, which were first reported on Axios.
- Witkoff didn't meet any Hamas officials in Doha.
Behind the scenes: Witkoff gave the parties on Wednesday an updated proposal that includes extending the Gaza ceasefire until after Ramadan and Passover, which ends on April 20, and resuming humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza, the sources said.
- The proposal calls for Hamas to release at least five live hostages and the remains of around nine deceased hostages on the first day of the extended ceasefire, one source with direct knowledge said.
- The original U.S. proposal, presented by Witkoff two weeks ago, called for the release of around 10 live hostages and around 18 deceased hostages.
According to the updated proposal, Israel and Hamas would use the ceasefire extension to negotiate a long-term truce in Gaza.
- If that longer-term deal was struck, the remaining hostages would be released on the last day of the extended ceasefire, ahead of the long-term truce.
- A spokesperson for Witkoff didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
What to watch: A source with knowledge of the talks said Israel gave Witkoff a positive response.
- The source said Qatari and Egyptian mediators met Hamas officials in Doha on Wednesday night and presented them with the updated proposal.
- The three sources said the mediators are now waiting for Hamas' response.
- "Hamas had rejected similar proposals before but they also want to avoid going back to fighting during Ramadan," one of the sources said.
