Hamas has approved a draft deal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, supported by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. The proposal includes the release of five additional hostages to Israel in exchange for a 50-day truce. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has submitted a counter-proposal, which is being discussed with US officials.
The new limited ceasefire agreement could coincide with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr on Sunday. If agreed upon, it would follow a previous deal that saw Hamas release 33 hostages in exchange for an extended ceasefire. However, negotiations for a second phase of the deal stalled, and Israel resumed its military strikes on Gaza after accusing Hamas of rejecting an extension.
Since then, over 900 people have been killed by Israeli air strikes in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Relatives of the remaining hostages, who are being held captive, have accused Netanyahu of putting their lives at risk by breaking the ceasefire.
The conflict began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 people and taking 251 captives. Israel responded with a massive military offensive, which killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g9x0kd4gro