New Hamas Deal: 10 Hostages Alive and 18 Fallen to Be Returned in 5 Waves Under
As Netanyahu prepares for a White House meeting with Trump, negotiators outline a proposed 60‑day ceasefire swap involving Palestinian prisoners and continued talks if a lasting agreement remains elusive.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is slated to travel to Washington next week for his third visit to the White House this year. At the same time, The New York Times overnight reported initial details of a proposed hostage-release framework with Hamas.
According to both an Israeli security official and a Hamas-linked Palestinian source, the deal includes the release of 10 living hostages and the return of 18 bodies held by Hamas in Gaza, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The exchange would occur in five stages over a 60-day ceasefire period.
This marks a shift from the U.S. proposal in May, which called for all hostages to be released by the seventh day of a ceasefire.
Under the new plan, Hamas would also refrain from staging televised release ceremonies like those seen during the January ceasefire.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Saar described U.S.-led efforts to restart intensive ceasefire negotiations with Hamas as “encouraging” and said Israel is eager to resume discussions “as soon as possible.”
His remarks came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Israel had agreed to the terms of a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas.
U.S. officials are reportedly aiming to finalize the deal during Netanyahu’s visit to Washington.
Sources indicate that Qatar is applying significant pressure on Hamas, which could influence the group’s decision to accept the framework.
There are hopes that Hamas will provide a response by Friday. If so, an Israeli delegation will quickly travel to Doha to begin formal negotiations.
Despite support for the proposal, there is still opposition within Netanyahu’s coalition, most notably from Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
In light of these developments, the National Security Minister and the head of Otzma Yehudit called for an urgent meeting with Finance Minister Smotrich to coordinate a strongly worded joint response.
Ben-Gvir took to the media, asserting that only a united front from both factions can block the ceasefire deal.
Reportedly, Israel is prepared to commit to continuing discussions beyond the initial 60 days if no final agreement is reached during that timeframe.
Should final terms be agreed, the remaining hostages, 10 living and 12 deceased, would be released. The criteria for prisoner releases remain stringent and include individuals whom Israel has previously refused to free.
On the humanitarian front, Israel is said to insist on maintaining the current U.S.-facilitated aid mechanism managed by Global Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Hamas, however, is demanding a return to the previous system, which allowed 400–600 aid trucks to enter Gaza each day, many of which were under Hamas’s control.
This report is based on information disclosed by The New York Times and verified sources.