Israel has proposed a 45-day ceasefire to Hamas in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages, as reported by AFP. The offer, relayed through Egyptian mediators in Cairo, includes the release of 1,231 Palestinian prisoners and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
According to AFP, Hamas is reviewing the proposal and is expected to respond within 48 hours. The group confirmed that Israel’s offer includes phased hostage releases, beginning with Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, and followed by staged prisoner exchanges. However, a demand that Hamas and other factions disarm remains a sticking point. Hamas has rejected it outright, with spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri telling Al Jazeera that “the request to disarm Hamas is not acceptable to even hear.”
The final phase of the deal would involve negotiations over Gaza’s post-war governance and security arrangements. A previous ceasefire in January led to the release of 33 hostages in exchange for about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners before it collapsed in March when Israel resumed its military campaign in Gaza
Hamas has said it is only willing to agree to any proposal that includes a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and unrestricted humanitarian access, reported AFP.
Hamas is also demanding immediate action to end what it calls an “unjust blockade” of Gaza. In a reported by Al Jazeera, the group criticized Israel for preventing the entry of “all essential items necessary for life, including food supplies, medicine and fuel” for seven consecutive weeks. It also accused Israeli forces of targeting water wells, desalination plants, and obstructing relief and food distribution efforts.
Hamas urged the United Nations and international community to stop “the policy of mass starvation” and ensure access to aid. The group also called on Arab and Muslim countries to help lift the blockade.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Gaza is facing the worst humanitarian crisis since the war began. Aid has been blocked since March 2, and essential supplies are nearly depleted. Medical teams, such as those at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, are operating under extreme shortages, OCHA said.
In the past 24 hours, at least 17 Palestinians were killed and 69 wounded in Israeli strikes, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. A medic was also killed and nine injured in a strike on a field hospital in al-Mawasi.
