Hamas' chief negotiator headed to Doha yesterday, despite statements by US envoy Steven Witkoff that Hamas' response to the US proposal was "unacceptable."

A Hamas source told Agence France-Presse that "a Hamas leadership delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya headed to Doha yesterday morning," noting that "the delegation held fruitful discussions with Egyptian officials that focused on ways to push forward the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, in light of Hamas's acceptance of the updated American proposal."

He stressed that "the delegation asked the American mediators and guarantors to compel the occupation to implement the humanitarian protocol, immediately allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and begin the second phase of negotiations," according to Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said yesterday that an Israeli delegation is currently visiting Egypt and participating in discussions with Egyptian officials in Cairo regarding the issue of prisoners in Gaza. There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian side.

Netanyahu's office announced Saturday evening that the prime minister had instructed the negotiating team for the exchange and ceasefire talks to prepare to resume talks based on the mediators' response to Witkoff's proposal for the immediate release of 11 Israeli captives in Gaza and half of the remaining dead.

The office added that the Prime Minister held an in-depth discussion on the issue of detainees, with the participation of ministers, the negotiating team, and heads of security agencies.

Witkov rejects Hamas' response

Netanyahu thus ruled out Hamas's offer to release an Israeli-American prisoner and return the bodies of four others, an offer also rejected by Witkoff. Speaking to CNN, Witkoff said Hamas' ceasefire proposal was not a suitable basis for negotiations, and considered the response received from the movement regarding extending the ceasefire in Gaza "totally unacceptable."

Witkoff noted that the US proposal includes the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, saying it would be a great relief for their families. He emphasized that the US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza includes "the release of five living detainees, including an American citizen."

Witkoff said he believes there is an opportunity for Hamas, but it is fading quickly, adding that he encourages Hamas to be more rational than it has been.

This comes despite Hamas' announcement on Thursday that it had agreed to a mediators' proposal to release an Israeli-American soldier and the bodies of four dual nationals, in order to resume negotiations on the second phase of the agreement, which Israel violated.

The first phase of the agreement ended on March 1 without agreement on subsequent phases, but open warfare did not resume. The first phase of the agreement lasted six weeks and allowed Hamas to release 33 Israeli prisoners, including eight dead, while Israel released approximately 1,800 Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas confirmed on Saturday that "the ball is now in Israel's court," after offering to release an Israeli-American soldier it is holding captive, along with the bodies of four dual nationals, as part of negotiations to maintain the truce in the Gaza Strip.

For its part, the Israeli Prisoners' Families Committee in the Gaza Strip accused Netanyahu of seeking to return to war and called on US President Donald Trump to pressure him to conclude a swap deal.

The panel members said Netanyahu is trying to drag an entire country into war and force it to pay an additional price. They added that he could return the detainees, but is deliberately obstructing the second phase of the deal.

In this context, the Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday that Israeli military sources expect the Israeli government to approve military operations in the Gaza Strip if there is no last-minute breakthrough in the ceasefire agreement.