Mediators expressed anger at Hamas on Wednesday, describing its response to the latest Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release proposal as “unacceptable,” according to a source involved in the negotiations who spoke to The Times of Israel.
Hamas submitted its reply late Tuesday night, following what some mediators viewed as several days of deliberate delay by the group.
Just last week, mediators had expressed optimism that a deal was within reach, particularly after Israel agreed to ease several of its demands — including reducing the scale of its military presence in Gaza during the proposed two-month truce.
But according to the source, Hamas’s response included a series of new demands, such as requiring Israel to withdraw even further toward the Gaza border. The group also proposed amendments that would require firmer guarantees from mediators to prevent Israel from resuming military operations after the proposed 60-day truce.
In addition, Hamas called for clearer language mandating the closure of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and insisted on increasing the ratio of Palestinian security prisoners to be released for each Israeli hostage, according to an Arab diplomat familiar with the negotiations.
A source involved in the mediation effort said Hamas remains internally divided between factions favoring a more uncompromising stance and those willing to make concessions to secure a deal. In the end, the group opted for a hardline position in order to preserve internal unity, the source added.
Egyptian and Qatari mediators reportedly refused to forward Hamas’s latest response to U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. Instead, they demanded that Hamas submit a revised, more moderate proposal. The source noted that mediators are growing increasingly frustrated with Hamas’s approach.
One of the key mediators in the Gaza ceasefire talks is Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American businessman who previously served as a campaign surrogate for U.S. President Donald Trump. Bahbah has acted as a conduit for messages between the U.S. and Hamas and played a critical role in securing the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander in May.
Bahbah publicly criticized Hamas this week, writing on X (formerly Twitter) from Doha that the group’s “procrastination has cost the Palestinian people dozens of victims daily.” He argued there was “no convincing reason for delaying the response or demanding non-essential amendments,” and urged Hamas to reserve unresolved issues for follow-up negotiations, which are expected to take place once a 60-day truce is in effect.
“Let us move forward with a deal with American guarantees that allows everyone to negotiate toward a permanent ceasefire,” Bahbah urged in his post.
Meanwhile, a source familiar with the ongoing negotiations revealed that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer—a close adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of Israel’s hostage negotiation team—is scheduled to meet with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Italy on Thursday. A senior Qatari official involved in the mediation process is also expected to attend the meeting.
Adding to speculation that a breakthrough may be near, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce announced on Tuesday that Witkoff was traveling “to the Gaza area.” The announcement fueled optimism, despite the fact that Hamas had not yet submitted its formal response to the latest ceasefire proposal at that point.
But Bruce’s announcement appeared to have been the result of a miscommunication, with the State Department subsequently clarifying that no trip to Doha for Witkoff has been set yet.
Negotiators have said the US envoy will only join the talks when they are ready to be finalized. The official familiar with the talks said that if enough progress is made as a result of the Rome meeting, Witkoff will join the negotiators in Doha.
