Israel is considering Hamas’ response to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal put forward by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, Israeli media reported.
Israel’s Channel 12, citing a diplomatic source, said Hamas had accepted the proposal in order to prevent Israeli forces from entering Gaza City.
On Sunday, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir officially approved a plan to seize Gaza, amid attempts to fully reoccupy the enclave.
The source said there was no confirmation whether Israel would accept a partial prisoner exchange or a temporary ceasefire in Gaza.
According to the source, Hamas’ response matches 98 percent of a proposal by US special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, which Israel had previously approved.
Hamas said early Monday that it had accepted a proposal by Egyptian and Qatari mediators for a ceasefire in Gaza, without giving details on the content of the proposal.
Egyptian media reported that the proposal would see Israeli forces repositioned near the border to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The proposal also includes a temporary halt to military operations for two months, during which a prisoner and hostage exchange would take place, state-run Al-Qahera News reported, citing Egyptian sources.
The media reported that the agreement would see the release of 10 Israeli hostages alive and the return of 18 bodies, in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners.
According to Israeli estimates, there are still about 50 prisoners in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive, while Israel is holding more than 10,800 Palestinians in its prisons in harsh conditions, with human rights organizations reporting deaths due to torture, starvation and medical neglect.
Israel has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign devastated the enclave, which now faces famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case before the International Court of Justice over the war in the enclave.
