Steve Witkoff makes new hostage proposal

US Hostage Envoy Steve Witkoff has presented another proposal for a partial hostage deal with Hamas, based on an exchange of hostages for several more weeks of quiet, according to a report today (Thursday) by Axios.

According to the proposal, the current effective ceasefire would continue until the end of Ramadan - April 20 - giving Hamas several more weeks without fear of an IDF offensive. The IDF has been planning just such an offensive, and a far more intensive one, ever since IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir was sworn in.

In addition, humanitarian aid would resume flowing into the Gaza Strip. Israel put a stop to aid going into the Strip after the hostage and prisoner exchanges of the first phase of the deal ended without any agreement as to further hostage releases. It also ended electricity supply to the Strip's water desalination plant.

In exchange for these Israeli concessions, Hamas would release "at least five live hostages and the remains of around nine deceased hostages on the first day of the extended ceasefire," according to Axios. Witkoff's previous proposal called for the release of around 10 living and 18 slain hostages.

There are presently 59 hostages still remaining in the Gaza Strip, with somewhere between 20-25 of them believed to be alive by Israeli and American authorities.

According to the proposal, Israel and Hamas would use the extended ceasefire deal to reach a long-term truce agreement. If successful, all remaining hostages would be released on the last day of the extended ceasefire.

Israel has reportedly responded positively to the plan, but Hamas has not yet commented on it and has reportedly rejected similar ideas, though the terrorist group reportedly also does not want to allow problems during Ramadan.

The proposal was reportedly delivered to Egyptian and Qatari mediators during a meeting Wednesday and will be delivered to Hamas.