US proposes Gaza ceasefire extension as Witkoff warns Hamas: ‘Time is not on your side’

The US has presented a “bridge” proposal extending the Gaza ceasefire past Ramadan and Passover while warning Hamas that there would be a heavy price to pay if they did not release hostages before a looming deadline.

“President Trump has made it clear that Hamas will either release hostages immediately, or pay a severe price,” Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said.

The proposal, which was delivered on Wednesday, says that Hamas should release living hostages in exchange for prisoners based on previously agreed formulas.

This would also entail extending phase 1 of the ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to get into Gaza. At the same time, the US would work towards a durable solution to the conflict, according to a statement from Witkoff and the National Security Council.

Witkoff said that Qatar and Egypt, with whom the US has been closely working, told Hamas that the proposal would need to be implemented soon and that dual US-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander would have to be released immediately.

Hamas said Friday that it had made an offer to release Alexander, a New Jersey native and 21-year-old soldier in the Israeli army, along with the bodies of four other dual national hostages.

Witkoff slammed Hamas for publicly claiming flexibility but making impractical demands without a ceasefire.

“Hamas is making a very bad bet that time is on its side. It is not. Hamas is well aware of the deadline, and should know that we will respond accordingly if that deadline passes,” he said.