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By Jesus Mesa and Gabe Whisnant
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The Trump administration has proposed a new ceasefire extension between Israel and Hamas, aiming to prevent the resumption of hostilities during the holy months of Ramadan and Passover.
The proposal, presented by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in Doha, Qatar, seeks to secure additional hostage releases and the resumption of humanitarian aid into Gaza, sources familiar with the negotiations told Axios.
Why It Matters
The latest ceasefire initiative comes as fighting remains at a standstill since the previous truce expired on March 1. However, Israel has blocked humanitarian aid into Gaza in an effort to pressure Hamas into agreeing to a deal for the release of hostages.
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Currently, 59 hostages are still being held by Hamas, with U.S. and Israeli officials estimating that 22 of them, including American Edan Alexander, are still alive.
What To Know
According to a report made by Axios' Barak Ravid, the Trump administration aims to buy time for negotiations and prevent a return to war during Ramadan and Passover.
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As part of the deal, Hamas would be required to release at least five live hostages and the remains of nine deceased captives on the first day of the extended truce. This marks a revision from an earlier U.S. proposal, which called for the release of around 10 live hostages and 18 deceased hostages.
"The proposal is an effort by the Trump administration to buy more time for negotiations and prevent the resumption of war," Axios reported, citing two sources with knowledge of the talks.
A final agreement will depend on whether Hamas agrees to the terms outlined in the updated U.S. proposal. If accepted, negotiators hope to use the extended truce to negotiate a longer-term ceasefire.
For now, mediators continue to await Hamas' response. As one source involved in the talks told Axios, "The ball is now in their court."
What People Are Saying
Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obaida warned: "I caution the families of the hostages and anyone who cares that any escalation by the enemy will lead to more hostages being killed, as has happened on many occasions before."
U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff on March 7: "The president was pretty blunt. It's time for Hamas to start acting in a responsible and reasonable way, and we don't think that they had been doing that."
What Happens Next
Despite the U.S. push for an extended ceasefire, significant obstacles remain. Previous ceasefire efforts have collapsed due to disagreements over the terms of hostage releases and Israel's demand for Hamas to disarm—something Hamas has repeatedly refused to do.
Update: 3/13/25, 12:54 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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