Hamas approves ceasefire proposal, placing the decision with Israel

Hamas has approved a ceasefire proposal presented to it a day earlier. In a statement, Hamas announced, “The Hamas movement and Palestinian groups have approved the proposal presented yesterday by Egyptian and Qatari mediators.”

The proposal reached Israel on Monday evening. However, the Tel Aviv administration stated it is not interested in partial agreements, declaring that the war will only end when all hostages are released simultaneously and other conditions are met.

Following the announcement of the agreement, an Israeli official confirmed to the Times of Israel that Tel Aviv had received Hamas’s latest proposal. Another Israeli official reiterated Israel’s insistence on a comprehensive agreement: “Israel’s position has not changed. The release of all hostages and adherence to the conditions set for ending the war are mandatory.” However, the fact that Netanyahu did not completely reject the partial deal was interpreted as a sign that the proposal is still under consideration. News reports indicated that Netanyahu would review the proposal.

Turkey is also involved in the latest round

An Arab diplomat revealed that Hamas’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, presented the new proposal to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on Sunday night, noting that the organization had backed down from many of the demands that caused talks to collapse last month. The negotiations are being conducted in Cairo, led by Egypt, with the participation of Qatar, the US, and Turkey, which contributed to restarting the process last week.

Last week, a source told Haaretz that Turkey was pressuring senior Hamas officials to surrender their weapons and relinquish control of the region.

Although there were reports that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with the Mossad Director during his visit to Doha last week, sources close to the Turkish Foreign Ministry denied this claim.

“The proposal is supported by all resistance groups in Gaza”

Meanwhile, the Arab diplomat interviewed by the Times of Israel detailed the plan accepted by Hamas. According to the report, the plan involves the release of 10 hostages during a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian security prisoners. It also includes the return of the bodies of deceased hostages.

A source from Islamic Jihad, which is fighting alongside Hamas in Gaza, provided similar details. According to the source, after the first 10 hostages are freed, the remaining hostages will be released in a second phase, and negotiations for a permanent ceasefire will begin with international guarantees. The source added, “The proposal presented is supported by all groups.”

“It resembles Witkoff’s plan”

Similar to the plan prepared this year by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, the new proposal calls for negotiations for a permanent ceasefire to begin at the start of the 60-day truce. Mediators aim to reach a permanent agreement by the end of the two months.

A diplomatic source speaking to Axios said the proposal accepted by Hamas is “98% the same” as the Witkoff plan it rejected last month. According to a Channel 12 report, Hamas reduced the number of prisoners it demanded be released and stepped back on the issue of the buffer zone Israel wants to establish on the Gaza border. While Israel wants a 1-1.2 kilometer strip, Hamas had previously demanded a maximum of 800 meters. It has now indicated it could accept a distance between 800 meters and 1 kilometer.

As Netanyahu evaluated Hamas’s response, he reiterated that the organization was under “immense pressure.” The Prime Minister stated that he had discussed the invasion of Gaza City with senior commanders on Monday and that they were moving to the phase of “completing the tasks.”

While talks for a partial agreement progressed in Cairo, Netanyahu stressed he is no longer interested in partial proposals and will only end the war if all hostages are released at once, Hamas is disarmed, Gaza is demilitarized, and its administration is transferred to an institution other than the Palestinian Authority. However, mediators believe this rhetoric is a pressure tactic and that Netanyahu might change his stance if Hamas makes further concessions.

Defense Minister Israel Katz also asserted that the only reason Hamas returned to the table was the fear that Israel was seriously preparing to capture Gaza City. Katz noted that the city is a military, political, and symbolic center for Hamas. “Hamas, which refused to discuss any proposal for weeks, is now at the table. The reason is clear: the fear of Gaza falling,” Katz said.

Speaking at the same meeting, Chief of Staff Zamir stated that the war had reached a “turning point” and that the army was preparing for a new phase of “Operation Chariots of Gideon.” Zamir said, “We are in a multi-front, long, and unprecedented war. We are about to move to a new phase that will deepen the blow against Gaza City.”

US President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post that the hostages in Gaza will only be freed when Hamas is destroyed. “The return of the hostages will only happen when Hamas is destroyed. The sooner this happens, the greater the chance of success,” he said. Trump also claimed to have previously secured the release of hundreds of hostages, although records show this number was actually 30.

An Arab diplomat said Trump’s post was a “pressure tactic” to compel Hamas to accept Witkoff’s proposal. He reiterated that the proposal submitted by Hamas is almost identical to the Witkoff plan.

According to Israeli authorities, armed groups in Gaza are still holding 50 hostages. Of these, 20 are alive, 28 are dead, and there are serious concerns for 2 individuals.