Hamas said unlikely to reject hostage deal offer but will demand Israeli withdrawal

Hamas is unlikely to reject a Gaza hostage deal proposal it received from mediators this week, but will not sign it without assurances that Israel has committed to ending the war, a Palestinian official close to the talks says.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators presented Hamas this week with the first concrete proposal for an extended halt to fighting in Gaza, agreed on with Israel and the United States at talks in Paris last week. Hamas has said it is studying the text and preparing a response.

The Palestinian official says the Paris text envisions a first phase lasting 40 days, during which fighting would cease while Hamas frees remaining civilians from among 136 hostages believed to be held by the Palestinian terror group. Further phases would see the release of Israeli soldiers and the handover of bodies of dead hostages.

“I expect that Hamas will not reject the paper, but it might not give a decisive agreement either,” says the Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“Instead, I expect them to send a positive response, and reaffirm their demands: for the agreement to be signed, it must ensure Israel will commit to ending the war in Gaza and pull out from the enclave completely.”

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.