US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff says updated offer includes 10 hostages and a temporary truce; Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warns against “madness” of partial agreements.
By David Brummer, World Israel News
In a surprise announcement from the Oval Office on Wednesday, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said a new proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release deal will soon be presented to Israel, according to Israel’s Ynet news site.
The draft, expected to reach Jerusalem overnight, outlines the release of 10 Israeli hostages and a temporary ceasefire as part of a broader framework to end the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
“I think we’re on the verge of sending out a new term sheet,” Witkoff said, speaking alongside President Donald Trump.
“I have a very good feeling about reaching a long-term resolution — peace to this war.”
He confirmed Trump would review the proposal before it’s transmitted to Israeli officials.
According to sources in Jerusalem, the proposal also includes the return of remains of some deceased hostages.
Most terms of the deal are reportedly agreed upon, but the key sticking point remains Hamas’s demand for a permanent end to the war — an assurance Israel has so far refused to provide.
Israeli officials worry Witkoff may offer a vaguely worded compromise that satisfies Hamas without requiring Israel to formally halt military operations.
Diplomatic sources indicate ongoing backchannel negotiations between the US and Qatar have excluded Israel from the latest rounds.
“Trump appears fed up with how Israel is handling the war in Gaza. He wants this over,” a source familiar with the talks told reporters.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a staunch opponent of any truce, blasted the emerging deal as “madness.” He argued that Hamas is weakening under Israel’s sustained military pressure and changes in aid distribution.
“We must force Hamas into total surrender, which brings back all hostages. A partial deal would throw them a lifeline,” Smotrich warned.
Despite Hamas’s claim earlier on Wednesday that it had reached a preliminary agreement with Witkoff, Israeli officials dismissed the statement as psychological warfare. “Hamas’s offer is unacceptable — to both Israel and the US,” one official said.
Witkoff’s revised proposal closely mirrors a previous plan backed by Israel but rejected by Hamas.
With negotiations stalled, the US appears poised to rework the framework in hopes of bridging the divide.
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to disclose further details about the meeting.
Smotrich said the campaign should target terrorists, weapons, tunnels and other infrastructure.
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