Hamas agrees to US ceasefire proposal for Gaza, Palestinian official confirms

Hamas has accepted a ceasefire proposal put forward by US special envoy Steve Witkoff aimed at halting hostilities in Gaza, a Palestinian official close to the group said.

The agreement, received by Hamas through intermediaries, envisions a 70-day truce coupled with the release of ten hostages held by the group, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

In addition, the proposal includes the release of a significant number of Palestinian prisoners by Israel, reportedly encompassing hundreds serving long-term sentences.

The terms signal a potential de-escalation after weeks of intense conflict, with both sides appearing to move toward a temporary respite. However, there has been no immediate response or confirmation from Israeli authorities regarding the proposal.

Earlier, Israel formally rejected a ceasefire proposal devised by Hamas, which called for the immediate release of five hostages. The plan was reportedly crafted by Hamas and transmitted through direct backchannel communications to the United States, which subsequently presented the proposal to Israeli authorities in Jerusalem.

An Israeli official described the offer as being “very far away from the outline that we are willing to negotiate on”.

Notably, the United States has remained deliberately noncommittal, refraining from explicitly endorsing or opposing the Hamas-crafted proposal.

By Vafa Guliyeva