By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ahmed Tolba, Reuters
Displaced Palestinian children are seen inside the destroyed Islamic University in Gaza City, Gaza, on 25 March 2025. Photo: Majdi Fathi / NurPhoto / AFP
Hamas has agreed to a Gaza ceasefire proposal it received two days ago from mediators Egypt and Qatar, the Palestinian militant group's chief said on Saturday (local time).
"Two days ago, we received a proposal from the mediators in Egypt and Qatar. We dealt with it positively and accepted it," Khalil al-Hayya said in a televised speech.
"We hope that the [Israeli] occupation will not undermine [it]," said Hayya, who leads the Hamas negotiating team in indirect talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza that erupted in October 2023.
Security sources told Reuters on Thursday that Egypt had received positive indications from Israel over a new ceasefire proposal that would include a transitional phase.
A supporter of Israel holds an Israeli flag in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, on 8 October. Photo: JULIA NIKHINSON / AFP
The proposal suggests Hamas release five of the Israeli hostages it is holding each week, the sources said.
The Israeli prime minister's office said it had held a series of consultations according to the proposal that was received from the mediators, and that Israel had conveyed to the mediators a counter-proposal in full coordination with the United States.
Reuters asked the prime minister's office if it had also agreed to the ceasefire proposal but it did not immediately respond.
picture id="4KHM693_AFP__20241027__36KZ2BA__v2__HighRes__IsraelPalestinianConflictAnniversary_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]Benjamin Netanyahu.
Phased ceasefire
The first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into force on 19 January after 15 months of war and involved a halt to fighting, the release of some of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners.
Phase two of the three-phase deal is intended to focus on agreements on the release of the remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Hamas said any proposals must allow the launch of the second phase, while Israel has offered to expand the first 42-day phase.
In response to calls on Hamas to disarm by Israel and the United States, Hayya said the group's arsenal was a red line and that it would not disarm as long as the "Israeli" occupation exists.
Israel and the US say Hamas must not have a role in post-war Gaza arrangements.
Israeli military strikes on Gaza continued on Saturday, killing at least 20 Palestinians across the enclave, health authorities said.
Palestinians rush an injured girl away from the site of Israeli strikes on a makeshift displacement camp in central Gaza City on 23 March, 2025. Photo: AFP / Omar al-Qattaa
The Israeli military said it had begun "ground activity" in the Jneina neighbourhood of the Rafah area to expand what it described as the security zone in southern Gaza.
On 18 March Israel resumed bombing and ground operations in Gaza, which it said were intended to increase pressure on Hamas to free hostages.
An Israeli soldier operates a tank at a position along Israel's southern border with the northern Gaza Strip on 19 March, 2025. Photo: AFP / Jack Guez
It has since issued evacuation orders to tens of thousands of residents in several areas in the northern and southern Gaza Strip, citing rocket firing into Israeli territories.
More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli offensive in Gaza, Palestinian officials said.
Israel began its offensive after thousands of Hamas-led gunmen attacked communities in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1200 people and abducting 251 as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
-Reuters
