Hamas source says group agrees to latest Gaza ceasefire proposal

Hamas has agreed to the most recent proposal from regional mediators for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage launch take care of Israel, a supply within the Palestinian armed group has informed the BBC.

The proposal from Egypt and Qatar is claimed to be based mostly on a framework put ahead by US envoy Steve Witkoff in June.

It might see Hamas free round half of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages – 20 of whom are believed to be alive – in two batches throughout an preliminary 60-day truce. There would even be negotiations on a everlasting ceasefire.

It’s unclear what Israel’s response might be, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned final week that it will solely settle for a deal if “all of the hostages are launched in a single go”.

In a video launched after the studies of Hamas’s approval emerged, Netanyahu didn’t remark instantly however mentioned that “from them you may get one impression – Hamas is below immense strain.”

The Israeli navy’s chief of employees, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, in the meantime mentioned it was at a turning level within the 22-month struggle, with the “give attention to enhancing the strikes in opposition to Hamas in Gaza Metropolis”.

It got here as witnesses on the bottom in Gaza Metropolis reported that Israeli tanks backed by air and artillery strikes had made a shock advance into the southern Sabra neighbourhood, and surrounded colleges and a UN-run clinic sheltering tons of of displaced individuals.

Later this week, the Israeli cupboard is anticipated to approve the navy’s plan to occupy Gaza Metropolis, the place intensifying Israeli strikes have already prompted 1000’s of individuals to flee.

Netanyahu introduced Israel’s intention to widen its offensive and conquer all of Gaza – together with the areas the place most of its 2.1 million Palestinian residents have sought refuge – after oblique talks with Hamas on a ceasefire deal broke down final month.

A Hamas delegation led by the group’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, has been in Cairo since final week assembly mediators who see a window of alternative for a brand new settlement.

On Monday morning, a senior Hamas official informed the BBC that the delegation was reviewing a brand new ceasefire proposal that it had acquired the day before today.

Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, additionally visited the Egyptian capital to “apply most strain on the 2 sides to succeed in a deal as quickly as potential”, Egyptian International Minister Badr Abdelatty mentioned.

Talking throughout his personal journey to the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, Abdelatty harassed the urgency of reaching a ceasefire to alleviate the deep humanitarian disaster within the Palestinian territory. He mentioned the present scenario on the bottom there was “past creativeness”.

On Monday night, a Hamas supply informed the BBC that the group had submitted a written response to mediators saying it agreed to the ceasefire proposal with none amendments or situations.

In line with a Palestinian official accustomed to the talks, the proposal “mirrors” the one offered by Steve Witkoff two months in the past, which Hamas rejected.

Witkoff proposed a 60-day truce that may see the discharge of 10 dwelling hostages by Hamas and the our bodies of 18 different hostages in change for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. He additionally mentioned that severe negotiations to finish the struggle would happen throughout the truce.

On Sunday night time, tons of of 1000’s of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv to demand that their authorities agree a take care of Hamas to finish the struggle now and produce all of the hostages dwelling.

Hostages’ households concern that one other offensive in Gaza Metropolis may endanger these held there.

“I am scared that my son can be harm,” mentioned Dani Miran, whose 48-year-old son Omri has been held captive for 682 days.

Netanyahu accused the demonstrators of hardening Hamas’s negotiating place.

Palestinians additionally known as for a direct finish to the struggle at a protest in Gaza Metropolis on Monday.

“Hamas and its calls for, and the calls for being negotiated, don’t characterize me. I need to stay in peace. I need peace of thoughts. Our solely demand is peace and security for our kids,” one lady informed a neighborhood freelance journalist working for the BBC.

US President Donald Trump in the meantime wrote on social media: “We are going to solely see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The earlier this takes place, the higher the possibilities of success might be.”

Israel’s prime minister has mentioned the struggle will solely finish as soon as all of the hostages are launched and Hamas disarms. He additionally needs Gaza to be demilitarised, saved below Israeli safety management, and run by an administration not linked to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.

Hamas has known as for a complete deal that may see the hostages it’s holding exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, in addition to an finish to the struggle and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. It says it won’t disarm except an unbiased Palestinian state is created.

The Israeli navy launched a marketing campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, during which about 1,200 individuals have been killed and 251 others have been taken hostage.

At the very least 62,004 individuals have been killed in Gaza since then, based on the territory’s Hamas-run well being ministry.

Most of Gaza’s inhabitants has additionally been displaced a number of instances; greater than 90% of properties are estimated to be broken or destroyed; the healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene programs have collapsed; and UN-backed international meals safety specialists have warned that the “worst-case state of affairs of famine is presently taking part in out” on account of meals shortages.

Gaza’s well being ministry reported on Monday that one other 5 individuals, together with two kids, had died on account of malnutrition over the earlier 24 hours, elevating the full variety of such deaths because the begin of the struggle to 263.