The Daily Populous Thursday March 20th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by jpost.com and submitted by FudgeAtron

Hamas has allegedly told mediators that they are willing to accept any proposal to release Israeli hostages if it includes a resumption of a ceasefire, according to UK-based Qatari news organization Al-Araby Al-Jadeed's report on Thursday.

The Hamas sources also claimed that the terror group did not reject US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff's ceasefire-hostage framework but rather accepted it on the condition that it would lead to a resumed ceasefire.

Witkoff, however, reportedly rejected this, surprising Hamas, according to the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Egyptian sources cited by the Qatari-owned news organization indicated that an Israeli delegation visited Cairo for a few hours on Wednesday evening and that a Hamas delegation is likely to arrive later on Thursday in order to discuss developments with Egyptian officials.

Egypt presented a new proposal for a ceasefire on Tuesday, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported. This included the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, along with five hostage bodies. Relatives of hostages call for the return of their loved ones in Jerusalem. February 17, 2025. (credit: Raquel G. Frohlich)

It also included embracing Witkoff's framework, which called for the release of half the remaining hostages over the coming weeks.

Additionally, KAN News reported on Thursday that Egypt has been working intensively to convince Hamas to agree to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff's framework for an updated hostage-ceasefire proposal.

מצרים פועלת באינטנסיביות לשכנע את חמאס להסכים להצעת ויטקוף, בה עתידים להשתחרר מספר חטופים חיים כדי לעצור את ההסלמה, כך לפי גורמים המעורים בתוכן הדיון שהתקיים אמש על ידי ראש הממשלה נתניהו בסוגיית החטופים. עוד בדיון עלה כי חמאס לא שינה עמדתו מאז חזרה ישראל לתקיפות@gilicohen10 — כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 20, 2025

This proposal would see a number of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other Gazan terror groups released alive in order to stop military escalation, the KAN report added, citing sources familiar with ongoing discussions led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on hostage issues.

These discussions also revealed that Hamas has not changed its position on negotiations with Israel since Tuesday's military escalation, the report added.

AranciataExcess on March 20th, 2025 at 12:50 UTC »

Maybe they should have kept those hostages alive.

bob-theknob on March 20th, 2025 at 11:37 UTC »

Just a question to anyone who has more knowledge on this subject- what would it realistically take for Saudi Arabia to have a more active role in this conflict?

I feel like there’s got to be a strong third party here with significant stakes for some kind of permanent solution.

Gemini_Of_Wallstreet on March 20th, 2025 at 10:49 UTC »

Translation: we’re not gonna release the histages but please stop shooting us so we can shoot you!