The Jerusalem Post reported Thursday that US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has submitted a new, updated proposal to extend the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip for 50 days, amid Israel's failure to comply with the agreement and the start of its second phase.

The newspaper quoted an informed source (unnamed) as saying, "The American envoy presented a new, updated proposal regarding a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in Gaza."

Under the proposed terms, Hamas will release approximately five living prisoners, along with the bodies of slain prisoners, in exchange for Israel agreeing to a 50-day ceasefire. During this period, negotiations will continue to explore the possibility of extending the agreement.

The source expressed optimism about reaching an agreement, noting that the negotiating teams' continued presence in Qatar is a "positive sign" of progress in the talks.

The American website Axios quoted four informed sources (unnamed) as saying that "White House envoy Witkoff presented an updated American proposal in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Wednesday evening to extend the ceasefire agreement in Gaza for several weeks in exchange for Hamas releasing more prisoners and resuming humanitarian aid to the Strip."

The sources added that "Witkoff's new proposal includes extending the ceasefire in Gaza until April 20," contrary to what the Israeli source told the Jerusalem Post.

She noted that "Israel gave Witkov a positive response."

She explained that "the mediators met with Hamas officials in Doha on Wednesday evening and presented them with Witkoff's updated proposal."

The sources indicated that "Wittkov did not meet with any Hamas officials in Doha."

An informed source reported that "the proposal calls on Hamas to release at least five living prisoners and approximately nine bodies of slain prisoners on the first day of the extended ceasefire."

According to the updated proposal, Israel and Hamas would use the ceasefire extension to negotiate a long-term truce in Gaza.

If a long-term agreement is reached, the remaining prisoners will be released on the final day of the extended ceasefire, before the long-term truce, according to the same American website.

A spokesperson for Witkoff did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment on the content of the sources' statements.

Earlier Thursday, Hamas announced the resumption of negotiations with mediators (Egypt and Qatar) in Doha regarding a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

The movement's spokesman, Hazem Qassem, confirmed on his personal Facebook page that Hamas is engaging "positively and responsibly with mediators to ensure the implementation of all phases of the ceasefire, in a way that serves the interests of the Palestinian people: an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip."

For its part, the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported on Wednesday evening that the ongoing negotiations in Doha are witnessing a "positive atmosphere," with optimism about reaching an agreement.

The commission added that the Israeli negotiating delegation, which arrived in Doha on Monday, decided to extend its stay to continue discussing the ceasefire agreement with Gaza, which Israel had previously reneged on.

It is noteworthy that Witkov arrived in Doha on Tuesday to participate in the talks.

In early March, the first phase of the 42-day ceasefire agreement in Gaza ended, while Israel renounced entering the second phase and ending the war.

Netanyahu seeks to extend the first phase of the agreement, which entered into force on January 19, 2025, to release the largest possible number of Israeli prisoners in Gaza, without offering any compensation or fulfilling the military and humanitarian obligations imposed by the agreement during the previous period, in order to appease the extremists in his government.

In return, Hamas affirms its commitment to implementing the agreement, demands that Israel abide by all its provisions, and calls on mediators to immediately begin negotiations for the second phase, which includes an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a complete cessation of hostilities.

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing.