Gaza ceasefire talks move forward as Hamas accepts new plan

Hamas has agreed to a ceasefire proposal put forward by Arab mediators to end the 22-month war that began with its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Israel has yet to respond, insisting it remains committed to defeating Hamas.

The plan, drawn up by Egypt and Qatar, is said to make only minor adjustments to an earlier proposal backed by the United States and accepted by Israel, according to Egyptian and Hamas officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The deal outlines a 60-day truce. During this period, Hamas would release some hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, humanitarian aid would enter Gaza in large quantities, and negotiations for a longer-term ceasefire would continue.

Israel has maintained that it will not end the war until all hostages are freed and Hamas is disarmed. President Donald Trump expressed support for that position in a social media post on Monday, writing that Hamas must be “confronted and destroyed” to secure the return of the remaining captives.

According to officials familiar with the talks, the truce would see Israeli forces pull back to a buffer zone 800 metres inside Gaza. Earlier negotiations had stalled when Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, proposed 1,500 metres, while Hamas suggested 600.

Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in stages, while Israel would release about 1,700 Palestinians, including 200 serving life sentences. Hamas-led fighters took 251 people hostage during the October 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians. Around 50 hostages remain in Gaza, and Israel believes only about 20 are still alive.

Under the plan, Israel would also allow 600 aid trucks into Gaza daily, a significant increase from recent months. A similar amount of aid entered during a previous truce earlier this year.

While the temporary ceasefire is meant to pave the way for a lasting agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war will only end once Hamas is defeated and disarmed. He has also stated that Israel will continue to exercise security control over Gaza and has spoken of relocating much of the territory’s population through what he calls voluntary emigration — a plan critics describe as forced expulsion.

Israel’s military campaign has already killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says women and children make up about half of the dead. The ministry is overseen by Hamas but is staffed by medical professionals, and its figures are widely regarded by the UN and independent experts as the most reliable estimates. Israel disputes the numbers but has not provided its own.

Hamas has faced major losses in the war. Many of its leaders have been killed, its weapons stockpiles severely reduced, and its network of tunnels repeatedly targeted. Israel now claims to control at least 75% of Gaza, while Hamas fighters and civilians are largely confined to Gaza City, nearby refugee camps, and the Muwasi coastal tent settlement.

For Hamas, the remaining hostages are its strongest bargaining tool. The group insists it will only release them in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and a full Israeli withdrawal. It has said it could hand power to other Palestinian groups but will not lay down arms while Israel occupies territory Palestinians want for a future state.

Israel rejects any outcome that leaves Hamas armed, saying it would only enable the group to regroup and strike again. The Israeli government has not yet indicated when it will formally respond to the latest proposal, though its Security Cabinet typically meets on Thursdays.

Attention has also turned to Washington. Trump played a key role in brokering a previous ceasefire in January after months of failed efforts led by Joe Biden’s administration and Arab mediators. Israel later ended that truce and resumed its offensive with US backing in March.

Observers say Trump could again play a decisive role. While he has voiced a desire to free hostages and end the conflict, he has not pressured Israel to change its military objectives. In his post on Truth Social, Trump reaffirmed his position:

“We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be,” he wrote. “Play to WIN, or don’t play at all!”

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