Hamas seeks clarity on pledges made in ceasefire proposal

Militant group proposes 'amendments'

- MATTHEW LEE AND ABBY SEWELL

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with families and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas during his visit to Tel Aviv on Tuesday.

Hamas said Tuesday that it gave mediators its reply to the U.S.-backed proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, seeking some “amendments” on the deal. It appeared the reply was short of an outright acceptance that the United States has been pushing for but kept negotiations alive over an elusive halt to the eight-month war.

The foreign ministries of Qatar and Egypt — who have been key mediators alongside the United States — confirmed that they had received Hamas’s response and said mediators were studying it.