Palestinian militant group Hamas said it supports Gaza’s new ceasefire plan, which will have five hostages released to Israel in exchange for a 50-day truce.
Khalil al-Hayyam, the most senior Hamas leader outside Gaza, said the group approved a draft deal sent by Egypt and Kathari mediators.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it also received the plan and submitted a counterclaim.
If an agreement is reached, the new limited ceasefire agreement could match the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Fitr.
The discussion was after Israeli forces continued to strike in Gaza and conducted ground operations in Rafah following an agreed ceasefire in early January.
During the first phase of the deal, Hamas released 33 hostages. It is believed that the group still holds 59, although not everyone is still alive.
Hamas had previously insisted on sticking to the original deal – the negotiations began a second phase, which would see the release of all remaining hostages in exchange for the complete withdrawal of Israeli Israeli forces in Gaza and end the war. But these negotiations never began.
Instead, Israel and the United States have proposed that the first phase of the ceasefire (expired a month ago) should be expanded without a clear guarantee that the war will end.
Israel accused Hamas of refusing to expand and resumed its military offensive in Gaza on March 18.
Hamas Operations Ministry of Health said Israel has since launched air strikes, causing more than 900 attacks in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s office said Israel’s opponents of the latest ceasefire plan have agreed with the United States, but has not provided any details so far.
All this is because Israeli forces continue to carry out air strikes in the Gaza region – as well as ground operations in the southern city of Rafa, the IDF said, aiming to expand its security zone south of Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli protesters accused Netanyahu and his government of putting the lives of the remaining hostages at risk by breaking the ceasefire.
One of the hostages, Elkana Bohbot, showed once again annoyance in a new video published by Hamas, begging him to release.
The war was triggered when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and bringing 251 back to Gaza as captives.
Israel responded with a large-scale military offensive, killing more than 50,000 Palestinians.
