Hamas has reportedly sent a letter to the White House requesting a 'hudna' during which Israel would halt military operations and targeted killings.
Nearly three years after the October 7 massacre, a long-term ceasefire in the Gaza Strip appears to be taking shape amid growing momentum toward an agreement with Hamas. Israel's Channel 13 News
revealed Thursday evening that Hamas has asked U.S. President Donald Trump for a 10- to 15-year "hudna" (long-term truce) in Gaza. According to the report, Hamas leaders drafted a letter in English that was sent to the White House. In it, they tell President Trump that they are prepared to honor an agreement and disarm, but request a long-term ceasefire under which Israel would refrain from attacking Gaza, cease targeted killings of senior Hamas officials, and begin a gradual withdrawal of its forces from the Strip. Israeli officials have rejected the proposal, describing it as a Hamas "spin." They argue that its terms do not correspond to the Trump framework agreed upon in October of last year.
Israeli sources said the proposed agreement "has no chance" of being accepted, describing it as a "desperate attempt" by Hamas to buy time. They added that Hamas is primarily trying to avoid being declared in violation of Trump's agreement, since such a breach would allow Israel to resume military operations in Gaza. Earlier Thursday, Channel 13 disclosed additional details of the proposed agreement. Under its terms, Hamas would commit to surrendering its weapons gradually over several years but would not commit to handing over its heavy weaponry.
In addition, Arab states would pay millions of dollars in "retirement compensation" to Hamas officials who would be replaced by a technocratic committee. For its part, Israel would commit to a long-term ceasefire, including an end to targeted killings in the Gaza Strip. The IDF would not withdraw from the "Yellow Line" security zone but would gradually evacuate certain areas.
American, regional, and Palestinian sources told Channel 13 that such an agreement amounts to a "fiction," arguing that Hamas is unlikely to surrender all of its weapons to a third party it does not trust. The proposal also contains no commitment to disclose or dismantle Hamas's tunnel network. A senior Israeli official said, "The issue of Gaza did not come up at all during the meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump. Israel demands the complete disarmament of Hamas, including the removal of all weapons from Gaza and the full demilitarization of the Strip as a precondition for any process." (Read More)
