Monday, 25 May 2026
Bodies of Palestinians who died while waiting for humanitarian aid arrived at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Thursday following airstrikes. PHOTO: OMAR ASHTAWY/ZUMA PRESS
Hamas agrees to 60-day Gaza ceasefire framework
Hamas has agreed to the framework for a proposed 60-day ceasefire and hostage exchange deal in Gaza, according to Arab officials involved in the negotiations, The Wall Street Journal reported.
If finalized, this agreement would prompt immediate U.S.-mediated talks between Hamas and Israel, with the goal of achieving a lasting end to the conflict.
Crafted by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in coordination with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, the proposal includes the release of 10 living hostages in exchange for a larger group of Palestinian prisoners currently held by Israel, among other stipulations, the officials noted.
On Friday night, Hamas announced it had submitted its response to the mediators and expressed its "full readiness and serious intent to immediately begin negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework."
While significant details still need to be resolved before a formal agreement can be reached, both parties’ acceptance of the main terms offers the most promising opportunity yet to halt over three months of intense Israeli military operations and a severe reduction in vital humanitarian aid, including food, to Gaza.
Direct talks between Israel and Hamas have been at an impasse for months, primarily due to Hamas’s insistence that any agreement must ultimately lead to a permanent ceasefire—something Israel has so far declined to guarantee.
The international community’s focus has now returned to Gaza, following Israel’s decisive attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites and military leadership, which concluded with a cease-fire brokered by President Trump.