Hamas Submits Response to Israeli Ceasefire Proposal After Stalled Qatar Talks

Hamas confirmed on Thursday that it has submitted its official response to a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, following over two weeks of stalled indirect negotiations in Qatar. The Palestinian militant group announced via Telegram that it had relayed both its own reply and that of allied Palestinian factions to mediators.

According to a Palestinian source familiar with the Doha talks, the response includes proposed revisions to the ceasefire terms — specifically regarding humanitarian aid access, maps detailing Israeli military withdrawal zones, and guarantees aimed at ensuring a permanent end to hostilities.

The ongoing talks, mediated by Qatar and involving indirect communication between Israeli and Palestinian representatives, are part of efforts to secure a broader truce deal that would include the release of hostages. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 2023 assault on Israel, 49 remain in Gaza — 27 of whom are presumed dead, according to the Israeli military.

Negotiations have hit repeated deadlocks, with both sides blaming the other for intransigence. Israel maintains that the dismantling of Hamas’s military and administrative infrastructure is non-negotiable. Hamas, meanwhile, insists on firm guarantees for a lasting ceasefire, a complete Israeli troop withdrawal, and unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

On Wednesday, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer accused Hamas of stalling progress: “Israel has agreed to the Qatari proposal and the updated Witkoff proposal. It is Hamas that is refusing,” he said, referring to a plan backed by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Mencer added that Israel’s negotiating team remains in Doha, with talks still underway.

The U.S. has announced that Witkoff will travel to Europe this week for further consultations aimed at advancing ceasefire efforts and facilitating an aid corridor.

Meanwhile, humanitarian concerns are deepening. Over 100 aid organizations issued a stark warning on Wednesday, saying that “mass starvation” is spreading rapidly across Gaza.