GAZA: Hamas has agreed to a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza, a senior official said on Monday, following renewed diplomatic efforts to end more than 22 months of conflict.
Israel has faced mounting international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza stemming from its offensive since October 2023. Human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, along with independent experts, have labeled Israel’s actions as “genocide,” a claim that Tel Aviv rejects.
Mediators Egypt and Qatar, supported by the United States, have struggled to secure a lasting truce. However, after receiving a new proposal, Hamas expressed its willingness to engage in talks.
“The movement has submitted its response, agreeing to the mediators’ new proposal. We pray to God to extinguish the fire of this war on our people,” senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said on Facebook. A Hamas source told AFP that the group accepted the proposal “without requesting any amendments.”
Egypt confirmed it had sent the proposal to Israel, with Qatar’s support, stating, “The ball is now in its court.” Israel has not yet responded. A Palestinian source familiar with the talks indicated that mediators were expected to announce an agreement and schedule the resumption of negotiations, with guarantees in place to ensure implementation and pursue a long-term resolution.
According to Egyptian state-linked media Al-Qahera, the proposal includes an initial 60-day truce, partial release of hostages, release of some Palestinian detainees, and measures to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
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The proposal comes more than a week after Israel’s security cabinet approved plans to expand operations into Gaza City and nearby refugee camps, prompting both international condemnation and domestic opposition.
Out of 251 hostages taken by Hamas during its October 2023 attack that sparked the conflict, 49 remain in Gaza, including 27 whom the Israeli military says are deceased. An Islamic Jihad source stated that the remaining captives would be released in a second phase, with negotiations for a broader settlement to follow, and noted that “all factions are supportive” of the Egyptian-Qatari proposal.
US former President Donald Trump commented on Truth Social, saying: “We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success.”