Hamas on Monday accepted a new proposal from mediators in the Gaza conflict that foresees the release of ten living Israeli hostages in exchange for a 70-day truce and partial withdrawal of the Israeli army from Palestinian territory, media reported, citing sources close to the militant group.
“The new proposal, considered to be the implementation of the approach and vision of the United States (U.S.) envoy Steve Witkoff, includes the release of ten living Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas in exchange for a 70-day truce, partial withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip, and the release of a certain number of Palestinian prisoners,” said one source, adding that mediators presented this proposal “in the past few days.”
Meanwhile, media reported that their sources from Hamas confirmed that the militant group agrees with the mediators’ proposal.
“Hamas has accepted the new proposal from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, which the movement received from mediators and which emphasizes a permanent truce in the Gaza Strip,” the source said, adding that the group informed the mediators of its decision. A Palestinian official close to Hamas confirmed the same.
Israel has not yet commented on the matter, but the Israeli army has called on residents of Gaza to leave most settlements in the south of the Strip, as it prepares for an “unprecedented attack” against terrorist organizations in the area. The evacuation order was published in Arabic. It refers to larger cities such as Rafah and Khan Younis, but also to all other settlements in southern Gaza, in accordance with a map published by the army.
Gaza residents were told to move to Al Mawasi, a narrow strip of coastal land one kilometer wide and 14 kilometers long in southwestern Gaza, which was declared a humanitarian zone during the war.
Militants continued to fire rockets from areas covered by the evacuation order, the Israeli army said after reporting shelling from the south of the Palestinian territory on Monday morning.
However, a large number of deaths were reported in Khan Younis, the second largest city in the Gaza Strip, and the army reiterated that the city is considered a “dangerous combat zone.”
Nasser Hospital and Al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis are excluded from the evacuation order, the army announced.
