Hamas sends its response to the US ceasefire plan and pledges to release ten hostages

BarcelonaHamas has conveyed its response to the Gaza ceasefire plan presented by US representative Steve Witkoff through mediators. "The proposal aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from Gaza, and ensure the flow of aid to our people," the Islamists said in a statement. These are the three points that have so far blocked an end to the war and which, according to leaks from Witkoff's text, are not included in the plan. the White House plan, which was accepted by Israel. It does detail that, as part of the agreement, as had been leaked, Hamas will release ten of the Israeli hostages it holds captive in Gaza and 18 bodies of those who died during the 20 months of captivity. In exchange, an "agreed number" of Palestinian prisoners will be released.

The three points that Hamas highlights in its brief statement are the backbone of any agreement: a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all territory in the Strip that they occupy, and the entry of humanitarian aid, which began this week after 80 days of total blockade, but which has been put in the hands of mercenary companiesThe result was dozens of Palestinians killed or wounded on their way to collect aid, and dystopian scenes of starving masses locked in cages while being scanned. The withdrawal of troops and the entry of aid were already two of the points of the agreement reached in January with Trump's return to the White House, which led to a 42-day ceasefire. Israel broke the ceasefire without having met either condition.

Israel and the United States have not yet commented on the response of the Palestinian Islamist organization. Meanwhile, the Israeli army continued its indiscriminate bombing of the Strip, which killed at least 60 Palestinians and injured at least 284 more this Saturday. These figures do not include the dead and wounded who arrived at hospitals in northern Gaza (where, according to the head of Gaza Civil Protection, Israel bombed 60 residential buildings in the last 48 hours), with whom contact was lost due to the intensity of the attacks. It also continues to use hunger as a weapon of war: this morning, 77 trucks loaded with flour entered Strip 77, but according to the UN, they were unable to reach their destination because they were attacked by hungry families. The UN has warned that "Gaza is the place where people suffer the most hunger in the world."

The other conditions, reportedly included in the Witkoff plan, include a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 28 Israeli hostages (10 of whom are still alive) during the first week, in exchange for 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and the bodies of 180 Palestinians who died in the custody of other organizations. According to sources familiar with the agreement, the wording of the US special envoy's proposal is ambiguous and lacks clear commitments, seeking to appeal to both sides.

Hamas is now under pressure from the dire situation of the Gaza population, where Israel is killing more than 100 Palestinians every day, subjecting them to a siege of starvation that is causing the worst humanitarian crisis since the start of the Israeli genocidal operation almost 20 months ago. At the same time, the proposal on the table has fewer guarantees than previous ones. Since the beginning of the war, the organization has made it a condition that the ceasefire be permanent and that Israeli troops withdraw from the Strip. Israel has also announced a ground offensive on Gaza of "unprecedented proportions." Therefore, rather than accepting or rejecting the Witkoff plan, the Islamists have presented a counterproposal, the details of which have not yet been made public.