Negotiations continue in Qatar regarding the possibility of releasing Israeli hostages and extending the ceasefire in Gaza. According to Israeli officials familiar with the discussions, there has been progress in talks with Hamas, raising the possibility of a small-scale agreement.
These are the key elements of Witkoff's proposal:
- Two releases of five to six living hostages and the return of five to ten bodies.
- An enhanced formula for the release of Palestinian terrorists.
- A ceasefire extending until after Israel's Independence Day (lasting 45-50 days).
- Restoring the flow of humanitarian aid and electricity into Gaza, which Israel had previously halted.
- During the ceasefire, further negotiations would take place regarding the continuation of the deal.
Israel is pushing for the release of more hostages but has, in principle, agreed to the current proposal on the table. Officials describe it as an "interim agreement" to allow discussions on the next phase to begin. As of now, Hamas has not dismissed the American proposal but insists on an Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor and a commitment to a second phase of negotiations, as stipulated in the original framework of the deal.
Beyond Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to a second phase of the deal, the Americans are also motivated by a broader strategic vision - President Donald Trump's grand plan, developed alongside Witkoff, to reshape the global order. According to this plan, Trump is expected to visit Saudi Arabia within six weeks to advance Middle East normalization efforts and expand the Abraham Accords by bringing additional Arab and Muslim nations into the accords.
The first phase of the hostage deal concluded on March 1, and since then, the ceasefire has remained in effect, despite Hamas not releasing any additional hostages. Currently, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, 24 of whom are officially classified as alive.
Meanwhile, Israel has periodically carried out targeted strikes against what it considers violations of the ceasefire and has halted all humanitarian aid to Gaza as leverage against Hamas. Additionally, it has cut off electricity to water desalination facilities in Gaza—a move that led several hostage families to petition Israel's High Court of Justice against the measure.
