Netanyahu says he accepted original framework of U.S.-backed truce; Hamas calls terms “disappointing” as terror group resists compromise. Israel insists ceasefire must not entrench Hamas control.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed this week that Israel accepted the original version of a ceasefire and hostage release deal brokered with U.S. support, widely known as the Witkoff Plan — a surprise move that shifts pressure onto Hamas, which has reportedly pushed for harsher terms and more concessions.

Speaking in Hebrew on Sunday night, Netanyahu declared: “Israel accepted the original Egyptian proposal, which included the phased release of hostages and temporary truce arrangements. Hamas, unfortunately, rejected this and came back with extreme demands.”

The Prime Minister’s Office reiterated in a statement: “Israel is not negotiating under fire. Our goal is — and remains — the dismantling of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities. However, we are willing to pursue a framework that returns the hostages and secures our strategic goals.”

The original “Witkoff proposal,” named after Jewish-American real estate mogul Steven Witkoff who has served as a quiet intermediary between U.S. and regional officials, was crafted with input from the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. It involved a 42-day pause in fighting, during which Hamas would release approximately 33 Israeli hostages — primarily women, elderly men, and those with serious medical conditions — in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and expanded humanitarian access to Gaza.

U.S. President Joe Biden praised Israel’s move, stating, “Israel has shown it’s willing to make tough decisions for peace. It’s time for Hamas to do the same.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken, currently in the region, urged Hamas to “accept the deal now on the table — the very deal it first proposed.”

Yet Hamas, according to reports from both Reuters and Al Arabiya, has expressed disappointment in the current framework. Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said the group was “shocked” that Israel would not agree to a permanent ceasefire upfront, before any hostages are released. “What Israel has accepted is insufficient and does not meet our demands for a total cessation of aggression,” he said.

In contrast, Israeli sources confirmed to Channel 12 that Hamas has added new conditions since the initial draft — including the return of displaced Gazans to northern Gaza and guarantees that Israel would completely withdraw from the Strip during the truce’s later phases. “They’re trying to buy time and rearm,” a senior Israeli official warned.

Likud MK Danny Danon emphasized, “Israel is ready for a deal — not a surrender. Hamas is again proving that it doesn’t care about civilians, not Gazans, and certainly not our hostages.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, speaking from the IDF’s Southern Command, clarified: “Military pressure is what brought Hamas to the table. Any pause must serve our ultimate objective: defeating Hamas, not enabling it.”

The Israeli public remains highly attuned to these developments. Families of hostages have voiced mixed reactions — some hopeful, others frustrated by what they perceive as Hamas’s stalling tactics. “We’re glad our government said yes. Now the world must hold Hamas accountable,” said Meirav Levi, sister of a hostage held since October 7th.

One senior Israeli source accused Hamas of “negotiating in bad faith,” noting that Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries have also expressed frustration with the group’s shifting demands. “They were handed a deal they helped design, and now they’re moving the goalposts,” the source told Israel Hayom.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s acceptance of the Witkoff Plan is widely viewed as a calculated move — showing flexibility without retreating from Israel’s red lines. As opposition leader Yair Lapid put it: “If Hamas is truly interested in peace, they should agree today. Otherwise, the mask is off.”

Still, Netanyahu’s office was quick to tamp down expectations. “Accepting a framework does not mean automatic withdrawal or an end to our military goals,” the PMO said in a statement. “Israel retains the right to defend its citizens and prevent Hamas from rebuilding.”

IDF operations in Rafah continue, albeit in a more focused manner. Over the weekend, elite units from the 401st Brigade uncovered additional terror tunnels and weapons stockpiles. According to an IDF spokesperson, “Even as negotiations continue, we are actively degrading Hamas’s capabilities. We do not confuse dialogue with defeat.”

At the same time, concerns about humanitarian conditions persist. The UN continues to circulate unverified claims, including a highly controversial statement last week that 14,000 babies could die in Gaza “within 48 hours” due to aid shortages — a number derided by Israeli officials as “pure propaganda.” The Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) insisted, “Food and aid trucks are entering daily. Hamas is looting, not Israel.”

Hamas’s refusal to accept the original truce has also raised eyebrows among moderate Arab states. A Gulf diplomat told The Times of London: “If Hamas cannot say yes to the very terms it negotiated, then clearly it is not a partner for peace. The question is whether they ever were.”

As the international community presses on, and as Israel signals its strategic openness, the real test now lies with Hamas. Netanyahu may have called their bluff.

As the Prime Minister concluded on Sunday: “We will not accept a deal that leaves Hamas in power. But we are ready to bring our people home — if Hamas is truly ready to let them go.”