Hamas welcomes latest US ceasefire proposal

ISTANBUL

The Palestinian group Hamas said Sunday that it had received a new US ceasefire proposal through mediators and expressed its readiness to resume negotiations.

“We received some ideas from the American side through mediators to reach a ceasefire agreement,” the group said in a statement on Telegram.

It welcomed any move that supports “efforts to stop the aggression on our people."

The group confirmed its readiness to “immediately sit at the negotiating table to discuss the release of all prisoners in exchange for a clear declaration of ending the war and a complete withdrawal (of Israeli forces) from the Gaza Strip.”

Hamas has also agreed to the formation of an independent Palestinian committee to manage the administrative affairs of the enclave and demands that Israel ensure its commitment to what will be agreed upon under the deal, "to prevent a repetition of past experiences where agreements were reached but then rejected or overturned."

It noted that on Aug. 18, it accepted a proposal by mediators Egypt and Qatar based on a proposal by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, but the “(Israeli) occupation has not responded so far but continued its massacres and ethnic cleansing campaign.”

"Therefore, the Hamas movement remains in constant contact with mediators to develop these ideas into a comprehensive agreement that meets the demands of our people," it added.

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he presented a proposal to reach a ceasefire and hostage swap agreement in the Gaza Strip, claiming full Israeli approval. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said they are still “seriously considering” Trump’s proposal.

Hamas has repeatedly declared its readiness to conclude a comprehensive deal with Israel to release all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, end the war on Gaza, and ensure the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces. However, Netanyahu has rejected such proposals, insisting instead on partial arrangements that would allow him to delay and impose new conditions at each stage of negotiations.

Israel has killed nearly 64,400 Palestinians in a brutal offensive in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.