President Donald Trump listens as Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Jan. 7, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Mediators are frustrated by Hamas’s delays as the group adds more conditions to a ceasefire deal.
By World Israel News Staff
The Hamas terror group has responded to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal proposal with a new set of demands, according to the Qatari news outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
Hamas is now insisting that Israeli troops withdraw from all populated areas of Gaza, relocating to no closer than 800 meters from the coastal enclave’s borders with Israel.
Hamas officials are asking for a greater number of Palestinian security prisoners serving life sentences be released in exchange for each living Israeli soldier currently held captive.
The proposed ratio of prisoners-to-soldiers was not made public.
The terror organization is also demanding that humanitarian aid — which it frequently loots and resells to Gazan civilians at extortionate prices — be managed by the United Nations instead of the current American aid organization responsible for its distribution.
Additional demands from Hamas include facilitating the return of all displaced Gazans to the Strip, reopening the Rafah crossing with Egypt, and a promise from Israel to continue negotiating for a permanent end to the war, with talks continuing during the 60-day truce.
According to reports, Hamas dropped its previous demand for a permanent end to the war, satisfied by a personal guarantee from President Donald Trump that the fighting will not resume after the truce period expires.
Hamas’s response follows mediators expressing fury with the terror group, frustrated by the organization repeatedly stalling negotiations and taking an unreasonably long time to reply to a framework already accepted by Israel, according to Hebrew-language media reports.
“The ball is now in Israel’s court, and if its response is positive, the ceasefire will take effect immediately,” an Egyptian source with knowledge of the negotiations told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
Israel is currently reviewing Hamas’ response, according to Hebrew-language media outlets.
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