Gaza [Palestine], July 5: Hamas announced it had “submitted a positive response” to a 60-day ceasefire proposal with Israel in Gaza, signaling a possible breakthrough after months of stalled negotiations, CNN reported.
In a statement on Friday, Hamas confirmed its readiness to start talks on implementing the framework, saying it was “fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework.”
Israel had already accepted the US-backed proposal, clearing the way for both sides to finalize details before a ceasefire agreement could be reached, CNN reported.
Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American interlocutor in direct contact with Hamas, welcomed the positive response on Facebook, saying, “We are now much closer to ending this cursed war.” He added that Hamas had introduced “amendments it deemed necessary,” which he believed would not hinder reaching a ceasefire deal within the coming week.
An Israeli source familiar with the negotiations told CNN that Hamas’ expected positive response and the language adjustments made to the proposal would not disrupt progress toward an agreement.
According to the proposal, of the 50 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, 10 — including 8 living hostages on the first day — would be released during the ceasefire, along with the bodies of 18 others. In return, an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners would be freed. After the initial release, Israel would withdraw from parts of northern Gaza, and both sides would begin discussions for a permanent ceasefire.
Additional hostages would be released on four other dates stipulated in the proposal, CNN reported. Hamas was instructed to carry out the releases without any public displays or ceremonies.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump warned Hamas not to reject the deal, saying on Truth Social, “I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE.”
Since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, at least 57,130 Palestinians have been killed and over 130,000 injured, according to Al Jazeera. The UN estimates that 85% of Gaza is now under Israeli military control, with massive displacement and widespread destruction of infrastructure including cities, hospitals, and schools.