US Continues Talks Over Proposal Backed by Hamas
(MENAFN) The United States is still actively involved in conversations surrounding a proposed ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which was recently endorsed by the Palestinian resistance faction, Hamas, according to the White House on Tuesday.
"As for this proposal that Hamas has now accepted, the United States continues to discuss it," stated spokesperson Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing.
She was responding to questions regarding Washington’s stance on the Egyptian-Qatari-brokered initiative. Leavitt also mentioned she would "let the president weigh in on it."
Leavitt implied that U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent post on social media may have played a role in Hamas’ decision to accept the plan, though she did not provide any supporting proof.
"I do not think it is a coincidence that Hamas accepted this proposal after the President of the United States posted a very strong statement about this conflict on Truth Social yesterday," she asserted.
On Monday, Hamas confirmed it had agreed to the Egyptian-Qatari initiative but did not disclose the terms.
According to an Israeli broadcaster, the proposal is similar to the one initially presented by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
That framework involved the release of 10 hostages alive and 18 deceased in exchange for a 60-day cessation of hostilities.
In his Monday post, Trump declared that any release of captives would only happen "when Hamas is confronted and destroyed," adding that "the sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be."
As of now, Israel has not officially reacted to the proposal.
Based on Israeli sources, approximately 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 presumed to be alive.
Meanwhile, over 10,800 Palestinians are currently detained in Israeli prisons.
Human rights organizations have raised concerns, citing fatalities resulting from torture, starvation, and lack of medical care.
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