US envoy says Gaza ceasefire deal is on the table, as Israel prepares for ‘unprecedented attack’
CNN
US special envoy Steve Witkoff has told CNN that a ceasefire-hostage deal for Gaza is currently on the table with a pathway to end the war, and urged Hamas to accept it.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff has told CNN that a ceasefire-hostage deal for Gaza is currently on the table with a pathway to end the war, and urged Hamas to accept it. The proposal would see the release of half of the living hostages and half of those who have died in exchange for a temporary ceasefire before negotiations begin for a comprehensive agreement to end the war. He declined to specify how long that temporary truce would last, which has been a key issue in the negotiations. “Israel will agree to a temporary ceasefire/hostage deal that would see half of the living and half of the deceased return and lead to substantive negotiations to find a path to a permanent ceasefire, which I have agreed to preside over,” Witkoff told CNN on Monday. “That deal is on the table. Hamas should take it.” He said Hamas has yet to accept the deal. A US official told CNN Witkoff has not met directly with Hamas, indicating that the proposal was relayed through intermediaries.
