CAIRO — Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire proposal brokered by international mediators, raising cautious hopes for a pause in a war that has left Gaza in ruins after nearly two years of bloodshed, reported by Arab News.
A Hamas representative, speaking anonymously to AFP, confirmed Monday that the group and allied factions had agreed to the plan “without requesting any amendments.” The development marks the most significant step forward in months of faltering diplomacy led by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.
A Palestinian source close to the talks said mediators are expected to formally announce the agreement and set a date to resume negotiations. Guarantees were reportedly offered to Hamas and its allies to ensure implementation of the truce, along with assurances that talks for a permanent resolution would follow.
While Israel has yet to respond publicly, details emerging from Palestinian officials suggest the proposal envisions a 60-day ceasefire. During the first phase, 10 Israeli hostages would be released alive, along with several bodies. A second phase would see the release of remaining captives, coupled with immediate negotiations toward a broader settlement backed by international guarantees.
The war, sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault that killed 1,219 people in Israel — most of them civilians — has dragged into its 23rd month. Of the 251 hostages taken that day, 49 remain in Gaza, with Israeli authorities confirming 27 of them dead.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has unleashed staggering destruction across the enclave. According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza — figures the United Nations deems credible — more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority civilians.
Whether this latest proposal can break the cycle of failed ceasefire efforts remains uncertain. Yet for a battered population living amid rubble and grief, even the possibility of silence in the skies offers a fragile sliver of relief.
