By: Fern Sidman

A potential breakthrough in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas may be within reach, as the outlines of a new U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement begin to solidify. According to a report that appeared on Thursday at VIN News and multiple regional and international sources, the emerging deal centers on a phased exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and includes a significant evolution in diplomatic guarantees designed to prolong the truce and create a pathway toward a broader resolution.

The proposed deal, as reported by VIN News, is the product of months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy involving U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian intermediaries. A senior Israeli defense official and a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations told The New York Times that the plan is more developed and detailed than any previous framework since the collapse of the May ceasefire proposal.

Under the draft agreement, Hamas would release 10 living Israeli hostages and return the remains of 18 others over a 60-day period. In exchange, Israel would free an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners. Neither side has confirmed the exact identities or quantities involved, underscoring the secrecy and sensitivity of the ongoing talks.

According to the information provided in the VIN News report, the transfer of hostages and prisoners would occur in five separate stages. This marks a significant departure from the earlier “Witkoff Plan” tabled in May, which proposed the release of all Israeli hostages within the first week of a ceasefire. That plan ultimately faltered due to a lack of consensus on sequencing and enforcement mechanisms.

This new phased model is believed to give each side time to verify compliance at each step and to build incremental trust—an approach seen as essential in light of previous collapses in negotiations.

One of the most notable changes in the current proposal, VIN News reported, is the prohibition of televised handover ceremonies by Hamas. In previous exchanges, such spectacles were heavily choreographed and often featured captives compelled to issue statements praising their captors—images that drew widespread condemnation across the international community.

This time, the agreement explicitly forbids any media coverage of the transfers, seeking to avoid further political theater or propaganda. “The focus is entirely on privacy, dignity, and de-escalation,” a diplomat told VIN News. “No more hostage parades.”

Perhaps the most consequential development is the role of the United States, which has reportedly introduced stronger and more specific assurances to both parties. As the VIN News report explained, the latest clarification from Washington stipulates that even if the sides fail to reach a comprehensive peace agreement within the initial 60-day ceasefire window, the truce will continue so long as negotiations remain “serious and ongoing.”

For Hamas, this language represents a key concession. The terror group has consistently rejected any framework that does not include a clear and enforceable commitment to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Sources close to Hamas, quoted in the Saudi newspaper Al Akhbar and cited by VIN News, indicated that the movement is “satisfied” with the new American wording—viewing it as a backdoor assurance that Israel will not resume military operations unilaterally if talks are progressing.

A diplomat briefed on the process told the Associated Press that this formulation may be the lynchpin that brings the parties to agreement. “There is a big opportunity here,” he said. “The indications we’re getting are people are ready. The tone has shifted.”

Interestingly, the same diplomat noted that recent sharply worded comments by President Donald Trump, in which he criticized Israel’s handling of the conflict and humanitarian fallout, may have inadvertently strengthened the American hand as a credible guarantor. As the VIN News report pointed out, Trump’s blunt approach has added a layer of unpredictability to the U.S. position, giving Hamas reason to believe that the White House is genuinely invested in enforcing an agreement and preventing a return to open warfare.

While optimism is cautiously rising, several critical variables remain unresolved. The identities of the Palestinian prisoners to be released—and whether they include individuals convicted of violent crimes—are likely to trigger intense debate within Israel. Similarly, it remains unclear whether the agreement includes any provisions for long-term monitoring, humanitarian access, or guarantees for the Israeli military’s operational freedom should the truce break down.

The report at VIN News emphasized that while the plan is not yet finalized, it represents the most comprehensive and concrete progress in recent weeks. The final decision now rests largely with Hamas, whose official response is expected by Friday evening.

If the group accepts the deal, VIN News reported that Israeli officials are prepared to dispatch a high-level delegation to rejoin indirect negotiations in Cairo within 24 hours.

As the VIN News report indicated, this moment represents a precarious but genuine opportunity to shift the dynamics of a war that has left thousands dead, displaced hundreds of thousands, and paralyzed diplomatic momentum across the region.

For the hostages’ families, who have endured unimaginable anguish for nearly nine months, the promise of even partial release offers a fragile sliver of hope. For policymakers in Jerusalem, Washington, and Doha, the looming question is whether this fragile framework can be transformed into a durable peace—or whether yet another opportunity will collapse under the weight of suspicion, politics, and bloodshed.

In the words of one negotiator quoted by VIN News: “We’ve never been closer—and we’ve never had so much to lose.”