Hamas wants amendments to peace plan from U.S.

Hamas said it wants changes to the ceasefire proposal sent by the U.S. and backed by Israel.

“There are some notes and amendments to some points, especially on the U.S. guarantees, the timing of hostage release, the delivery of aid and the withdrawal of Israeli forces,” a senior Hamas official told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Another statement from Hamas said the proposal outlines a permanent ceasefire, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, and aid into the Palestinian enclave.

It also said 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others would be released “in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.”

In an X post Saturday, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff said Hamas’ response to the proposal “is totally unacceptable and only takes us backward.”

“Hamas should accept the framework proposal we put forward as the basis for proximity talks, which we can begin immediately this coming week,” he said.

“That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have at the proximity talks substantive negotiations in good faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire,” he added.

The ceasefire would stop the fighting for 60 days and release some of the 58 hostages still in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and aid, officials from Hamas and Egypt told AP.

President Trump on Friday said Hamas is “in a big mess. I think they want to get out of it.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the U.S. proposal and said the “discussions are continuing.”

“We hope that a ceasefire in Gaza will take place so we can return all of the hostages home, and that’s been a priority from this administration from the beginning,” she said at Thursday’s press briefing.

Israel has continued attacks across Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that one airstrike killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said some 60 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours.