Gaza City, Gaza Strip — The militant group Hamas announced its support for a ceasefire proposal aimed at bringing peace to the Gaza Strip. The proposal involves releasing five more hostages to Israel in exchange for a 50-day truce. Mediators from Egypt and Qatar have put forward the draft deal, which has been approved by Hamas leaders, including Khalil al-Hayyam.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed receiving the plan and has responded with a counter-proposal in cooperation with the United States. The potential limited ceasefire agreement could coincide with the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, set to begin on Sunday.
In the midst of negotiations, Israeli forces have launched a ground operation in Rafah and persist with air strikes across the Gaza Strip. This offensive comes after a previous ceasefire had ended earlier in the month, due to both sides being unable to reach an agreement on a second phase.
Hamas had previously released 33 hostages as part of the first phase of the ceasefire, and is believed to still be holding 59 more. The group had initially sought negotiations for the release of all remaining hostages in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the conflict. However, these talks never materialized.
As tensions rise, the US has yet to publicly comment on the proposed ceasefire agreement. However, the situation remains delicate as Israeli military strikes on Gaza have resumed following accusations of Hamas rejecting an extension to the initial ceasefire.
The conflict began when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel in October 2023, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people. In response, Israel carried out a military offensive that led to the loss of more than 50,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Amid the ongoing crisis, Netanyahu has been criticized by relatives of the remaining hostages for allegedly endangering their lives by breaking the ceasefire. A recent video posted by Hamas showing hostage Elkana Bohbot pleading for his release has only added to the urgency of finding a resolution to the conflict.