Arab mediating source: Witkoff proposal unlikely to break hostage talks logjam

An Arab mediating source tells The Times of Israel that they do not believe the proposed hostage deal crafted recently by US special envoy Steve Witkoff is likely to succeed.

The proposal envisions Hamas releasing all remaining hostages within the first 48 hours in exchange for an assurance from the US that Israel will not subsequently resume the war, along with the release of several thousand Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, the mediating source says

Hamas has pushed back on the idea of immediately releasing all remaining hostages without concrete guarantees that Israel will not be able to resume the war.

It has not found US assurances to be sufficient, the Arab mediating source says, pointing to the Trump administration’s backing for the Israeli decision to resume the war in March, rather than transitioning to the second phase of a ceasefire and hostage release deal that had been in place since January.

While US President Donald Trump said yesterday that Israel had accepted his terms for a hostage deal that ends the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to hold a cabinet meeting to discuss the exchange. The proposal could well face pushback from the prime minister’s far-right coalition partners over its requirement for the IDF to withdraw from Gaza, where many of them envision Israel reestablishing settlements.