48 captives are 700 days in Gaza and Netanyahu dismissed proposal by Hamas for a Ceasefire Deal

Hamas on Wednesday evening reiterated its willingness to reach a comprehensive agreement to end the war in Gaza, offering to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip.

In a statement, Hamas said it is ready for a "deal that ends the war", including the opening of all border crossings to allow humanitarian aid and reconstruction, as well as the establishment of a "technocratic government" to manage Gaza's civil affairs.

"Such an agreement would include the release of all hostages in exchange for prisoners, the complete withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, the opening of all crossings, and the rebuilding of the Strip," the group stated.

Trump Calls on Hamas to Release Hostages

The Hamas statement came just hours after former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a call on his social media platform, Truth Social, demanding that Hamas release "all the living hostages immediately."

“Not two, five, or seven — all of them. Things will change quickly, and it will end,” Trump wrote, without addressing the issue of deceased hostages whose bodies are still held in Gaza.

Israeli Government Rejects Hamas Offer

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office dismissed the proposal, calling it "another Hamas spin" and claiming it presented no new elements.

“The war can end immediately under the conditions set by the cabinet,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. “These include: the release of all hostages, Hamas’s disarmament, full demilitarization of the Strip, Israeli security control, and the formation of an alternative civilian government that does not promote terrorism.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant echoed this sentiment, saying:

“Hamas continues to close its eyes and utter empty words. It will soon understand that it must choose between two options: accept Israel’s conditions or face the fate of Rafah and Beit Hanoun.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich added that “the return of all abductees, the disarmament of Hamas, a permanent security zone, and full Israeli freedom of action” are non-negotiable.

Israel’s War Aims: Four Principles, Three Red Lines

Netanyahu has previously outlined four principles and three red lines that define Israel’s endgame for the war in Gaza:

The Four Principles:

1. Complete disarmament of Hamas

2. Disarmament of the Gaza Strip

3. Continued Israeli security control

4. Establishment of a non-Hamas, non-PA civilian government

The Three Red Lines:

1. No release of Nukhba terrorists involved in the October 7 attacks

2. No full IDF withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor (Philadelphia Axis)

3. No international guarantees that could prevent IDF operations in Gaza in the future

Behind the Scenes: Negotiations Ongoing

Despite public denials, a senior Israeli official confirmed earlier this week that intensive negotiations are still taking place behind the scenes, even as the war enters a new phase. The security cabinet convened twice in the past week but did not vote on a partial deal recently proposed by Hamas.

At the opening of the most recent cabinet meeting, Netanyahu chose not to mention the proposed deal. Instead, he emphasized the government’s military focus on Gaza City:

“The cabinet decided: to defeat Hamas and release all the hostages.”

Looking Ahead

While Hamas appears to be publicly signaling flexibility, Israeli leaders remain firmly committed to a total Hamas defeat, with no indication of concessions. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting both domestically and internationally to resolve the hostage crisis, even as fighting escalates.