U.S. envoy slams Hamas as hostage deal collapses

• What happened? Hamas rejected the United States' proposal concerning the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
• Where and when? Hamas's response was published on platform X on Saturday, and the U.S. proposal had previously been accepted by Israel.
• Why is it important? The rejection of the proposal by Hamas complicates the negotiation process and could affect future actions in the Gaza Strip.

Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of the U.S. president to the Middle East, expressed his dissatisfaction with Hamas's response to the American hostage exchange proposal. "Hamas's response is totally unacceptable," wrote Witkoff on platform X.

The U.S. proposal included a 60-day ceasefire, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and hand over the bodies of 18 deceased in exchange for the release of 125 Palestinians and the handover of 180 deceased Palestinians.

In its statement, Hamas said that the U.S. proposal does not meet "does not meet our people's demands".

Hamas wrote that under this agreement, 10 living prisoners of the occupier, held by the resistance, would be released, additionally 18 bodies would be handed over, in exchange for the agreed number of Palestinian prisoners.

Although the proposal was accepted by Israel, Hamas rejected it, which according to Witkoff sets back the negotiation process.

Israeli media reported that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ready for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, based on the U.S. proposal. Witkoff's plan anticipates that during the truce, negotiations on permanently ending the war would take place, with the possibility of Israel resuming military actions if the talks failed.