Hamas has conveyed to the mediators its response to Witkoff's proposal on Gaza

The Palestinian radical movement Hamas has conveyed to the mediators its response to the proposal of the special envoy of the US President Stephen Witkoff regarding a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. This is stated in a statement published on May 31 in the Telegram channel of the movement.

"As part of a future agreement, we are ready to release 10 living Israeli hostages and hand over the bodies of 18 dead in exchange for the release of an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners from [Israeli] prisons," the statement said.

The timing of the hostages' release has not been specified by the movement.

As indicated in Hamas, the movement's response includes demands to cease fire in Gaza on a permanent basis, to withdraw units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from there and to ensure the import of humanitarian aid there.

Peace order: Hamas is set for a partial deal on Gaza

Positive dynamics have emerged in the negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar.

On May 28, it became known that Hamas had agreed to Whitkoff's proposal for the Gaza Strip. It was clarified that the US initiative also implies the creation of a professional committee that will take over the management of Gaza's affairs immediately after the announcement of the agreement. The next day, Israel signed a proposal by Witkoff and US President Donald Trump for a ceasefire in the semi-enclave.

Later, on May 30, the Times of Israel newspaper reported that the full text of the Witkoff plan regarding a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip contains 13 points and assumes a truce for a period of 60 days. According to the terms, on the first and seventh days of the truce, Hamas will hand over the living hostages and the bodies of the dead to Israel. In response, Israel will release 125 Palestinians sentenced to life in prison, 1,111 Gazans detained after October 7, 2023, and hand over 180 bodies of the dead.