Palestinian group Hamas on Monday agreed to a new proposal from mediators to end the nearly two-year-long war in the Gaza Strip, a Hamas source told AFP. The plan reportedly involves a 60-day ceasefire "during which 10 Israeli hostages would be released alive, along with a number of bodies", said a source from Islamic Jihad.
AHamassource told AFP on Monday that the Palestinian militants had agreed to a new proposal from mediators for aceasefirein Gaza, devastated by more than 22 months ofwarbetween the Islamist group andIsrael.
"Hamas has delivered its response to the mediators, confirming that Hamas and the factions agreed to the new ceasefire proposal without requesting any amendments," the Hamassource told AFP, requesting anonymity.
A Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations told AFP that mediators were "expected to announce that an agreement has been reached and set a date for the resumption of talks."
The source added that "mediators provided Hamas and the factions with guarantees for the implementation of the agreement, along with a commitment to resume talks to seek a permanent solution".
There has been no immediate response from the Israeli government side to the development.
Efforts by mediatorsEgyptandQatar, along with the United States, have so farfailed to secure a lasting ceasefirein the war, now in its 23rd month, which has created a dire humanitarian crisis in theGaza Strip.
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A separate Palestinian official earlier on Monday told AFP that mediators had proposed an initial 60-day truce and hostage release in two batches.
A source fromIslamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant faction that has fought alongside Hamas in Gaza, told AFP that the plan involved a 60-day ceasefire "during which 10 Israeli hostages would be released alive, along with a number of bodies".
According to the same source, "the remaining captives would be released in a second phase, with immediate negotiations to follow for a broader deal" for a permanent end to the war "with international guarantees", the source added.
Out of 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war, 49 are still held in Gaza including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
Hamas's attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 62,004 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza which the United Nations considers reliable.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Originally published on France24
