Hamas submits response to US proposal for Gaza ceasefire

Israel had earlier accepted the US ceasefire proposal for Gaza, which Israeli officials familiar with the matter said would involve a 60-day pause in fighting

Hamas said it submitted a response to the US proposal for a truce in Gaza that would entail the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

“After a round of national consultations, and based on our deep responsibility toward our people and their suffering, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) today submitted its response to US envoy Steve Witkoff’s latest proposal,” the group said in a statement on Saturday.

“This proposal aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensure the flow of aid to our people and our families in the Strip.”

As part of the agreement, Hamas would release 10 living Israeli prisoners and return 18 bodies, in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, according to the statement.

Israel had earlier accepted the US ceasefire proposal for Gaza, which Israeli officials familiar with the matter said would involve a 60-day pause in fighting and restore United Nations-led aid distribution to the Palestinian territory.