Hamas Offers Hostage Release in Exchange for 60-Day Ceasefire Deal

Hamas has indicated its willingness to release half of the remaining 48 hostages in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire, according to a report published Monday by The Jerusalem Post.

The offer, detailed in a letter not yet formally delivered, was also reported by Fox News Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst. Citing a senior Trump administration official and a source directly involved in the negotiations, Yingst confirmed the proposal is currently in Qatar and expected to reach US President Donald Trump later this week.

The letter reportedly stipulates that the ceasefire will remain in effect so long as negotiations toward a permanent end to the war continue. Hamas’s move appears to be a bid to halt Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza while securing the return of hostages held since the October 7, 2023, attacks.

The development comes as Israel presses ahead with Gideon’s Chariots II, its most significant military operation in Gaza since the outbreak of the conflict.

The campaign is aimed at seizing control of Gaza City, considered Hamas’s final major stronghold in the Strip. Over half of the city’s estimated one million residents have already evacuated, according to Israeli military officials.

In a parallel development, Saudi outlet Al-Arabiya reported a separate proposal for the release of 12 hostages — including the bodies of two Americans — in return for a two-month ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid. That offer, which appears narrower in scope, has not yet received a formal response from either Hamas or Israel.

The competing proposals highlight the complexity of ongoing efforts to broker a truce and secure the release of hostages nearly two years after the October 7 massacre.

On that day, Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and abducting hundreds. Many of those hostages were released in earlier ceasefire arrangements, but dozens remain in captivity.

For the Trump administration, the proposal represents both a diplomatic challenge and an opportunity. Since returning to office, Trump has sought to project strong leadership in the Middle East, while also maintaining close coordination with Israel and regional partners such as Qatar.

Qatar has long played a key role as an intermediary in hostage negotiations, leveraging its connections with Hamas’s political leadership. Its involvement is seen as critical in relaying Hamas’s proposals to Washington and potentially shaping the contours of a deal acceptable to all parties.

Israeli officials, however, remain cautious. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed that military pressure is essential to dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities.

While previous ceasefires have allowed for humanitarian relief and hostage releases, Israel has consistently argued they provide Hamas with time to regroup. With the war approaching its two-year anniversary, the latest proposals underscore both the urgency and fragility of the moment.

The coming days will reveal whether the Biden administration, Israel, and Hamas can find enough common ground to prevent further bloodshed — and secure freedom for those still held in captivity.