Jerusalem, Israel – The Palestinian armed group Hamas has agreed to a ceasefire proposal for Gaza that was brokered by Egypt and Qatar. However, it is unclear if Israel will accept the terms, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has stated it will only accept a deal if all hostages are released at once.
The proposal is reportedly based on a two-stage framework put forward by a US envoy in June. It would see Hamas release around half of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages—20 of whom are believed to be alive—in two batches during an initial 60-day truce. The deal also calls for negotiations on a permanent ceasefire.
After the news of Hamas’s approval broke, Mr. Netanyahu said in a video that Hamas was “under immense pressure” but did not comment directly on the proposal. His cabinet is expected to approve a plan to occupy Gaza City in the coming days.
The development follows a large demonstration in Tel Aviv on Sunday, where hundreds of thousands of Israelis demanded that the government agree to a deal to bring the hostages home and end the war. Mr. Netanyahu has accused the demonstrators of strengthening Hamas’s negotiating position.
The Israeli military launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people. According to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, at least 62,004 people have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began.
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