PNN – Israeli sources reported a new plan by Steve Whittaker, the White House representative for Middle East affairs in Doha, to extend the Gaza ceasefire agreement for several weeks, which has led to many reactions in the Israeli regime.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, citing Maariv, Informed Israeli sources report that on Wednesday, Steve Whittaker, the White House representative for Middle East affairs in Doha, presented a plan to extend the Gaza ceasefire agreement for several weeks in exchange for the release of at least five living Israeli prisoners and several dead prisoners.
According to Israeli sources, the new proposal is an attempt by the administration of US President Donald Trump to buy more time for indirect negotiations between the Israeli regime and Hamas and prevent another war against Gaza during the month of Ramadan.
According to Ma’ariv, there are currently 59 Israeli prisoners in Hamas custody in Gaza. Of these, according to Israeli and American officials, 22, including one American, are still alive, and according to the Israeli army, 35 of the remaining prisoners have been killed (due to the Israeli regime’s heavy bombing of Gaza) and the status of two others is unknown.
Reports indicate that Whitaker arrived in Doha on Tuesday night and met with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, as well as the Israeli negotiating team present in the city. The Trump administration’s Middle East envoy also spoke with the Qatari prime minister and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The meeting, which focused on and discussed Egypt’s plan for the day after the Gaza war, was attended by a senior UAE official and Hussein Al-Sheikh, a senior advisor to the head of the Palestinian Authority.
Ma’ariu stated in a report from some informed Zionist sources: On Wednesday, Witkoff presented a new plan to the parties, which includes extending the ceasefire in Gaza and resuming the sending of humanitarian aid to Gaza until after the month of Ramadan, which ends on April 20. In this report, one of the informed sources said, giving details, that under this plan, Hamas will release about five living and nine dead Israeli prisoners in exchange for the first day of the designated ceasefire period. While under the original US proposal, presented by Whittaker two weeks ago, it had announced the release of about 10 living and 18 dead prisoners.
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According to informed sources, according to the new plan, the Israeli regime and Hamas will negotiate the conditions of a long-term “truce” in Gaza (aside from the war and temporary peace) during a new ceasefire until the end of Ramadan. Israeli sources claimed that if the parties agree to a long-term “truce,” the remaining prisoners would be released on the last day of the new ceasefire (the end of Ramadan), before the long-term ceasefire takes effect. This news comes while Witkoff has not yet commented on the matter.
According to Ma’ariv, a source familiar with the details of the negotiations said that the Israeli regime has agreed to the Witkaf plan. The source added: Qatari and Egyptian mediators met with Hamas officials in Doha on Wednesday evening and presented them with a new proposal, and are currently awaiting Hamas’ response. A Zionist source also claimed that Hamas has rejected similar proposals in the past; however, it continues to urge mediators to pressure the Israeli regime to refrain from returning to war during the month of Ramadan.
However, news of Witkoff’s new plan to negotiate with Hamas in Qatar has sparked widespread reactions within occupied Palestine.
In this context, a high-ranking Israeli official, in an interview with the news outlet I24 News, acknowledged the significant failure of the Israeli regime in the current negotiations between the US and Hamas and stated: The new proposal by Witkoff is not acceptable to Hamas, and Israel has other proposals. For this reason, it is likely that the Israeli delegation will remain in Qatar until the end of next week.
In this context, the Headquarters for the Families of Returning Zionist Prisoners expressed concern in response to this plan, stating: The news regarding the plan to release several prisoners has caused serious concern among the families of the prisoners.
Benny Gantz also attacked the Prime Minister in response to the US government’s new plan to negotiate with Hamas and gradually release Israeli prisoners, saying: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is either not holding real negotiations and not making concessions, or he is just wasting time.
Meanwhile, the Americans insist that Aiden Alexander, a prisoner who is a US citizen, be released at this stage. However, negotiations on the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for each Israeli prisoner have not yet begun.
According to Yedioth Aharonot, while Trump had called for the release of all prisoners in what was supposed to be his final warning to Hamas, the sides discussed the release of a much smaller number of prisoners in the talks in Doha. However, Hamas almost immediately rejected the initial Witkoff plan, and a slightly different plan from the Americans is currently on the negotiating table.
Israel Hume also added: According to Israeli sources familiar with the details, little progress has been made in the US talks with Hamas in Doha. The outlet added: “Witkoff may travel to occupied Palestine to present an offer to Netanyahu.”