- Hamas has reportedly agreed to release five living Israeli hostages as part of a renewed ceasefire agreement. The proposal, brokered by Egypt and Qatar, marks the first time Israel and Hamas have furthered talks since an initial ceasefire fell apart on March 18.
- Meanwhile, Israel said it coordinated with the U.S. to offer a counter-proposal.
- Both Palestinians and Israelis have protested against their respective leaders and called for an end to the war in recent days.
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Hamas has reportedly agreed to release five living Israeli hostages as part of a renewed ceasefire agreement that’s set to last 50 days. The proposal, brokered by Egypt and Qatar, marks the first time Hamas and Israel have furthered talks since an initial ceasefire deteriorated after Israel launched overnight airstrikes into Gaza, killing more than 400 Palestinians, on March 18.
During a televised speech on Saturday, March 29, Hamas’ chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, said that the militant group received the proposal from Egyptian and Qatari mediators two days prior and that they “dealt with it positively and accepted it.” Hayya added, “We hope that the [Israeli] occupation will not undermine [it].”
Where do the negotiations stand?
The ceasefire, as outlined, would begin Sunday, March 30, coinciding with the start of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr. However, an Israeli official reportedly told the news site Walla that Israel intends to present a counteroffer and that an agreement will unlikely go into effect that soon.
Meanwhile, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it had offered a counter-proposal to the Egyptian and Qatari mediators “in full coordination with the United States,” Reuters reports. Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond when Reuters asked if it had agreed to the ceasefire proposal.
Israel has not directly participated in ceasefire negotiations between Egypt, Qatar and Hamas, as reported by The Guardian.
Ceasefire details remain limited
Both Israel and Hamas have laid out their terms for a continued ceasefire –– Israel wants to see 10 of the remaining 24 hostages believed to be alive released, while Hamas has said that relinquishing its weapons while Israel’s military occupies Gaza is a “red line.”
Another 34 Israeli hostages are believed to be dead, and though the Israeli official told Walla that their bodies would also be released as part of the ceasefire, a specific number was not offered.
Palestinians, Israelis call for an end to the war
The first phase of an initial ceasefire agreement, though tenuous, went relatively as planned between January and March. That paused more than a year of fighting since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing roughly 1,200 people.
Last week, the Palestinian death toll in Gaza surpassed 50,000 –– a milestone that was marked by a rare show of dissent as hundreds of Palestinians protested against Hamas and called for an end to the war. On Saturday, thousands of Israelis protested the war in Tel Aviv.
