Hamas leaning toward accepting Witkoff proposal, while making reservations — sources

Hamas will likely accept US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s latest hostage deal proposal, while submitting a series of reservations, according to an Arab diplomat and a second source familiar with the negotiations.

Hamas is disappointed with the proposal and feels that Witkoff made crucial changes after conferring with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Washington earlier this week, the second source tells The Times of Israel. Still, it doesn’t want to outright reject the US proposal, fearing it would then be blamed for lack of agreement

Hamas wants a clause added to the proposal requiring Israeli forces to withdraw to where they were stationed at the end of the previous ceasefire in March, along with a clause stipulating that aid will be distributed, according to international humanitarian standards, the two sources say. This appears to be an attempt to undercut Israel’s reliance on the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which international organizations have argued fails to adequately address the humanitarian crisis.

Most critically, Hamas wants the clause regarding the talks on the permanent ceasefire — which the deal envisions taking place during an initial 60-day truce — edited to more clearly prevent Israel from restarting the war, the sources say.

Negotiations are likely to drag out for at least several more days, as Israel and the US will subsequently have to respond to Hamas’s reservations, the Arab diplomat says.