by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has presented a proposal to resolve the hostage crisis, as negotiations continue in Qatar over extending the Gaza ceasefire and releasing Israeli hostages.
Witkoff’s proposal includes two rounds of hostage releases, each involving five to six living hostages and the return of five to ten bodies. In exchange, Palestinian prisoners would be released, along with a 45-50 day ceasefire. Negotiations for the deal’s next phases would continue during the ceasefire.
Additionally, humanitarian aid and electricity supplies to Gaza, previously halted by Israel, would resume.
Reportedly, Israel is pressing for the release of additional hostages but has tentatively agreed to the current proposal, described by officials as an “interim agreement” to facilitate talks on the next phase.
While Hamas has not rejected the U.S. proposal it demands an Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor and a commitment to a second negotiation phase, as outlined in the original ceasefire agreement.
The first phase of the hostage deal ended on March 1, but the ceasefire continues despite Hamas not releasing additional hostages. As of March 13, 59 hostages—24 officially confirmed alive—remain in Gaza after 523 days in captivity.
During this proposed ceasefire, Trump is expected to visit Saudi Arabia within six weeks to advance Middle East normalization and expand the Abraham Accords to include more Arab and Muslim nations.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest Stories from Worthy News
Hamas has formally rejected Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal, criticizing it as a “partial” deal that fails to guarantee a complete end to the war or a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The United States may abandon efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine within days if no clear progress is made, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on April 18. Speaking after talks in Paris with European and Ukrainian leaders, Rubio said President Trump is prepared to “move on” from the negotiations in the absence of any clear signs of progress.
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court sentenced a Christian man to death on Good Friday on controversial charges of blasphemy against Islam, Christians told Worthy News.
Christians across autocratically-ruled Nicaragua “are celebrating Holy Week” leading up to Easter under the watchful eye of police and paramilitary forces, Christians told Worthy News on Good Friday.
Italy’s rightwing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says U.S. President Donald J. Trump has accepted her invitation for an official trip to Rome at a time when the third largest economy in the European Union tries to bridge differences between the EU and the U.S. over trade and security.