Report: Hamas Drafts Letter Asking Trump to Guarantee 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire for Release of Half the Hostages

Hamas has drafted a letter to President Donald Trump seeking a U.S. guarantee for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the immediate release of half of the hostages still held in the enclave, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The letter is expected to be delivered to Trump this week.

How this fit prior proposals

The 60-day concept aligns with frameworks circulated in recent months: a phased pause tied to staged hostage releases and prisoner exchanges, with the remainder of hostages freed under terms addressing the war’s end.

Variations of this plan have envisioned an initial release of roughly half the captives during the first phase, followed by talks over a permanent cessation of hostilities and security guarantees.

The reported outreach comes amid intensified pressure on mediators and at the United Nations, where calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages have grown louder.

Washington has maintained that any truce must include provisions addressing Hamas’s role and Israel’s security concerns. Separately, intermediaries close to Trump have discussed new formulations for a pause, and Israeli officials have said they are weighing proposals, though gaps remain over sequencing, prisoner numbers, and verification.

Key questions ahead

Delivery and acceptance: Will Hamas formally transmit the letter, and will the U.S., through Trump or an appointed envoy, offer the guarantees sought?

Scope of “half”: How “half the hostages” is defined and verified (living captives, civilians vs. soldiers, inclusion of remains).

Israeli stance: Whether Israel would pause operations for 60 days without a clear pathway to full hostage release and long-term security arrangements.

Enforcement: What mechanism, U.S. guarantees, Qatari/Egyptian mediation, or U.N. oversight, would ensure compliance and humanitarian access during the pause.