 "10 hostages in exchange for 70-day truce: Hamas agrees to US proposal on Gaza ceasefire")
Hamas has accepted a Gaza ceasefire proposal put forward by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, potentially opening the door to an end to the conflict with Israel, according to a Reuters report on Monday, citing a Palestinian official close to the group.
The proposal was delivered to Hamas via mediators and includes the release of ten hostages in exchange for a 70-day truce, added the report.
“The proposal includes the release of ten living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in two groups in return for a 70-day ceasefire and a partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip,” Reuters quoted the source as saying.
The proposal also includes the release of several Palestinian prisoners by Israel, among them hundreds serving long-term sentences.
According to the report, Israel has not yet issued an official response.
On March 18, Israel effectively ended a ceasefire agreement reached in January and resumed its military offensive in Gaza.
In response, Hamas and allied groups began launching rocket attacks two days later.
Hamas has said it is prepared to release all remaining hostages taken during its October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israeli communities — an attack that killed 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza, according to Israeli figures.
In exchange, the group is demanding a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from the territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has ruled out a permanent truce, stating that Israel would only agree to a temporary ceasefire in return for the hostages’ release. He has reiterated that the war will continue until Hamas is completely dismantled.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsSince Israel launched its air and ground campaign in response to the October 7 attack, nearly 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to health officials in Gaza.
The conflict has devastated much of the enclave, with aid organizations warning of widespread severe malnutrition and a deepening humanitarian crisis.
With inputs from agencies
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