Israel’s aid block for Gaza has worsened the already dire conditions in the territory [Mahmoud Issa/Anadolu via Getty]
Hamas has refused a new plan by US special envoy Steve Witkoff which proposed extending the Gaza truce for several weeks in exchange for the release of 15 captives and a resumption of aid into Gaza, Al-Jazeera reported on Friday.
The details of Witkoff’s plan had earlier been reported by American news site Axios on Thursday.
Witkoff had proposed extending the truce until 20 April in return for Hamas releasing five Israeli captives and the bodies of 10 deceased ones and the resumption of desperately needed humanitarian aid for Gaza, which Israel has blocked, Axios said, citing several sources.
Hamas on Friday said it is ready to free an Israeli-American hostage and the remains of four other dual nationals, after the Palestinian movement and Israel gathered for indirect Gaza ceasefire talks.
The April date would come after both the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Israel believes 59 captives are still being held in Gaza including 24 who are still alive – the latter include 22 Israelis, one Thai and one Nepali.
Hamas has said Witkoff’s proposal “aims to sidestep the [ceasefire] agreement”.
Witkoff arrived in Doha earlier this week to continue negotiations amid increasing threats by Israel that it will resume its attacks on the Gaza Strip. Hamas has refused Israel’s proposal to extend the ceasefire’s initial phase, which expired on 1 March.
The US envoy held talks with officials from Qatar and Egypt – mediators in the Gaza war – as well as Jordanian, Saudi and Emirati officials.
He did not meet with any Hamas representatives however, Axios said.
The ceasefire, which went into effect on 19 January, has already seen Hamas release dozens of Israeli and foreign captives in return for thousands of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including women and minors.
US President Donald Trump has warned Hamas on multiple occasions to release remaining captives, threatening Gaza with “hell” and “death” if this does not happen.
The fragile ceasefire has seen Israel continue to carry out attacks in Gaza, where the aid blockade has worsened the already dire conditions.
The war erupted on 7 October 2023 after Hamas-led fighters stormed southern Israel in response to Israel’s blockade of Gaza and continued occupation of Palestinian territories, as well as repeated Israeli attacks on worshippers in Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Israel’s offensive killed over 60,000 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s health authorities. It left much of the besieged coastal enclave in ruins and battered its critical infrastructure and healthcare system.
Trump is seeking to take over Gaza and displace its population, suggesting they move to neighbouring countries such as Egypt or Jordan, or to African nations. He has refused a counterplan put forward by Arab states that would allow Gazans to remain in the enclave.
But the US president has recently seemingly backtracked, saying on Thursday that “nobody’s expelling any Palestinians” from the Gaza Strip.
