U.S. proposes 60-day ceasefire for Gaza and hostage-prisoner swap, plan shows

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: May 30, 2025 6:59 AM EDT | Last Updated: 30 minutes ago

A U.S. program for Gaza seen by Reuters connected Friday proposes a 60-day ceasefire and the merchandise of 28 Israeli hostages live and dormant successful the archetypal week, successful speech for the merchandise of 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and the remains of 180 dormant Palestinians.

The document, which says the program is guaranteed by U.S. President Donald Trump and mediators Egypt and Qatar, includes sending humanitarian assistance to Gaza arsenic soon arsenic Hamas signs disconnected connected the ceasefire agreement.

The assistance volition beryllium delivered by the United Nations, the Red Crescent and different agreed channels.

On Thursday, the White House said Israel had agreed to the U.S. ceasefire proposal.

Israeli media said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the families of hostages held successful Gaza that Israel had accepted the woody presented by Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Hamas has received Israel's effect to a U.S. connection for a Gaza ceasefire woody and is thoroughly reviewing it, adjacent though the effect fails to meet any of the Palestinian "just and morganatic demands," the group's official Basem Naim told Reuters connected Friday. 

The U.S. program provides for Hamas to merchandise the past 30 of the 58 remaining Israeli hostages erstwhile a imperishable ceasefire is successful place. Israel volition besides cease each subject operations successful Gaza arsenic soon arsenic the truce takes effect, it shows.

The Israeli service volition besides redeploy its troops successful stages.

Palestinians successful Gaza clasp onto anticipation for truce deal

Suhad Abd Rabbo, a parent of four, said her daughters were holding onto anticipation that a ceasefire would instrumentality effect.

"We were amazed that Hamas didn't agree," Abd Rabbo, 33, told CBC News freelance videographer Mohamed El Saife successful Jabalia Friday.

"My girls began to shriek and cry. They were optimistic that they would beryllium capable to instrumentality to their homes successful eastbound Gaza successful the morning."

Lafi Junaid, a begetter of three, said Palestinians successful Gaza were hoping to spot an extremity to the Israeli bombardment.

"We person nary much livelihood left. [It is all] hunger. Thirst. Fear," helium told CBC News successful Jabalia.

"Hamas needs to hold due to the fact that [enough] radical person died."

Temporary ceasefire could beryllium extended: proposal

Deep differences betwixt Hamas and Israel person stymied erstwhile attempts to reconstruct a ceasefire that broke down successful March.

Israel has insisted that Hamas disarm completely, beryllium dismantled arsenic a subject and governing unit and instrumentality each 58 hostages inactive held successful Gaza earlier it volition hold to extremity the war.

Hamas has rejected the request to springiness up its weapons and says Israel indispensable propulsion its troops retired of Gaza and perpetrate to ending the war.

Israel launched its run successful Gaza successful effect to the Hamas onslaught successful its southbound connected Oct. 7, 2023, that killed immoderate 1,200 radical and saw 251 Israelis taken hostage into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

The consequent Israeli subject run has killed much than 54,000 Palestinians, Gaza wellness officials say, and near the enclave successful ruins.

Israel has travel nether expanding planetary pressure, with galore European countries usually reluctant to knock it openly demanding an extremity to the warfare and a large alleviation effort.

Witkoff told reporters connected Wednesday that Washington was adjacent to "sending retired a caller word sheet" astir a ceasefire by the 2 sides successful the conflict.

"I person immoderate precise bully feelings astir getting to a semipermanent resolution, impermanent ceasefire and a semipermanent resolution, a peaceful resolution, of that conflict," Witkoff said astatine the time.

The 60-day ceasefire, according to the plan, whitethorn beryllium extended if negotiations for a imperishable ceasefire are not concluded wrong the acceptable period.

Earlier enlargement of assistance organisation sites

Senior Hamas authoritative Sami Abu Zuhri said connected Thursday the presumption of the connection echoed Israel's presumption and did not incorporate commitments to extremity the war, retreat Israeli troops oregon admit assistance arsenic Hamas has demanded.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a backstage radical backed by the United States and endorsed by Israel, expanded its assistance organisation to a 3rd tract successful Gaza connected Thursday.

WATCH | UN calls for summation successful nutrient assistance to Gaza arsenic crowds tempest warehouse:

Heavily criticized by the United Nations and different assistance groups arsenic inadequate and flawed, the radical began its cognition this week successful Gaza, wherever the UN has said 2 cardinal radical are astatine hazard of famine aft Israel's 11-week blockade connected assistance entering the enclave.

The motorboat was marred by tumultuous scenes connected Tuesday arsenic thousands of Palestinians rushed to organisation points and forced backstage information contractors to retreat.

The chaotic commencement to the cognition has raised planetary unit connected Israel to get much nutrient successful and halt the warring successful Gaza. GHF has truthful acold supplied astir 1.8 cardinal meals and plans to unfastened much sites successful coming weeks.