Hamas sends letter to US President Trump proposing release of half the Israeli hostages for 60-day ceasefire

The terror organization Hamas sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump proposing a two-month ceasefire in exchange for releasing half of the Israeli hostages it is still holding captive in Gaza, Fox News reported on Monday.

Citing a senior Trump administration official and a source directly involved in the negotiations, the report stated that the letter is currently in Qatari hands and will be transmitted to Trump this week.

Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that a Hamas leader may personally sign the letter before it is sent to Trump.
The letter is another attempt to restart negotiations over a ceasefire, as the Israeli offensive to capture Gaza is nearing the one-week mark.

NEW: Hamas wrote a letter to President Trump asking him to personally guarantee a 60-day pause in Gaza in exchange for immediately releasing half of the hostages, Fox News has learned from a Senior Trump administration official and a second source directly involved in the talks. pic.twitter.com/GynGHGx2xB

— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) September 22, 2025

In addition, Qatar, one of the main mediators in the talks together with Egypt, is reportedly demanding a public apology from Israel for its strike on Hamas leaders in Doha before negotiations can be renewed.

The reported proposal in Hamas’ letter is similar to an offer presented by White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff earlier this year, which included a guarantee from President Trump that Israel would not restart the fighting.

At the time, Israel signaled it would agree to the deal, but Hamas continued adding new conditions, which led to the collapse of the talks and Israel’s latest military offensive.

Israel and the United States have since insisted that only a comprehensive deal – to end the fighting and Hamas’ control over the Gaza Strip, while freeing all hostages – would even be considered.

Trump is set to convene a meeting on Tuesday, with the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, the White House confirmed in earlier reports.

The meeting will be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, where Trump and Witkoff will reportedly present a new U.S.-endorsed plan for the future of the Gaza Strip.

“Tomorrow's meeting could be fairly significant. We have a pretty good idea of the contours for ending the war. We want to present what we think is the only viable path forward and we want regional buy-in and support to make it successful,” a U.S. official told Axios.

“Our understanding is that Trump wants to get our feedback and support for the U.S. plan to end the war and then push it forward,” an Arab official added.

Trump will ask the Arab and Muslim leaders whether they would be willing to fund and staff a transitional authority that would take over the Gaza Strip, including troops to replace IDF soldiers, once the fighting ends, according to Channel 12.

An Israeli official told Axios that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is aware of the proposal, which includes the idea of eventually handing the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority – an idea he has repeatedly rejected.

“There will be bitter pills we'll have to swallow,” the Israeli official said.

Trump and Netanyahu are expected to discuss the proposal next week, when the Israeli leader travels to the UN General Assembly at the end of the Rosh Hashanah holiday.