Faisal Abbas 
It speaks to the journalists in Washington, March 6, 2025 (Getty)
The American website Axius quoted four well -informed sources as saying that the American envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkeov submitted an updated American proposal to extend the ceasefire agreement in Gaza for several weeks in exchange for Hamas released more detainees and the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The sources confirmed that Witkeov presented to the parties on Wednesday an updated proposal that includes the extension of the ceasefire in Gaza even after Ramadan and Easter, which ends on April 20, and the resumption of the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Two sources stated that this proposal represents an effort from the Trump administration to gain more time for negotiations and prevent the resumption of war during the holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Easter. According to one of the sources, the proposal calls for Hamas to release at least five neighborhood detainees and the wraps of about nine dead detainees on the first day of the ceasefire. The original American proposal, which Wittakv presented two weeks ago, was calling for the release of about 10 neighborhood detainees and about 18 deceased detainees.
According to the updated proposal, Israel and Hamas will take advantage of the extension of the ceasefire to negotiate a long -term truce in Gaza. If this long -term agreement is reached, the remaining detainees will be released on the last day of the ceasefire, before the long -term armistice.
A source familiar with the talks said that Israel gave Witzouf a positive response, noting that Qatari and Egyptian brokers met Hamas officials in Doha on Wednesday evening and presented them with the updated proposal. The three sources indicated that the mediators are now waiting for Hamas’s response. “Hamas rejected similar proposals in the past, but she wanted to avoid returning to fighting during Ramadan,” one of the sources said.
Witkev arrived in Doha on Tuesday evening, held meetings with Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries, and with Israeli negotiators present in the Qatari capital. The foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, yesterday, Wednesday, held a meeting in Doha with Wetkov, in order to discuss developments in the Gaza Strip, and offered him a plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip.
