Hamas agrees to Gaza ceasefire proposal by US envoy

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has agreed to a Gaza ceasefire proposal by the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, on Monday (May 26), news agency Reuters reported citing a Palestinian official. As per the new proposal, ten hostages will be released and there will be a total of 70 days of truce. The mediators handed over the proposal to the Palestinian militant group.

"The proposal includes the release of ten living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in two groups in return for a 70-day ceasefire and a partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip," the source said, Reuters reported.

The new proposal also sees the release of several Palestinian prisoners by Israel.

Israel has not released any immediate comment yet. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to make statement on Gaza hostages "today or tomorrow."

Israel ended the January ceasefire agreement with Hamas on March 18 as it resumed its operation in Gaza.

Hamas has said it is willing to free all remaining hostages seized by its gunmen in attacks on communities in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and agree to a permanent ceasefire if Israel pulls out completely from Gaza.

Netanyahu has said that he would agree to a temporary ceasefire only in return for the release of hostages. He said that the war could only end when Hamas is "eliminated".