Hamas has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire proposal with Israel that would see half of the hostages in Gaza freed in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, an Egyptian official said on Monday.
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim confirmed the decision on Facebook, adding that other Palestinian factions had also notified mediators of their approval. Egypt and Qatar, with U.S. support, have been leading the talks. An Israeli official confirmed the proposal had been received, though no response was issued.
The deal would suspend Israeli military operations in Gaza City, setting a framework for a comprehensive settlement to end the nearly two-year-old war. A source familiar with the process said it closely mirrored an earlier plan accepted by Israel that was put forward by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Mediators met Hamas representatives in Cairo on Sunday, followed by talks between Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Hamas officials on Monday.
Israel has approved plans to seize control of Gaza City, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described as Hamas’ last stronghold. But tens of thousands of Israelis staged mass protests on Sunday, demanding a deal to end the fighting and secure the release of the remaining 50 hostages, of whom officials believe only 20 are alive.
Inside Gaza City, thousands have fled west and south as tanks advanced into the Sabra suburb on Monday, with witnesses reporting at least nine tanks and bulldozers. The Israeli military said the country was at a “turning point” in its campaign, pledging intensified strikes on Hamas positions.
Palestinians have also voiced fears of displacement.
“I am heading south because I need to ease my mental state,” resident Mousa Obaid told Reuters. “There is no life left, and as you can see, living conditions are hard, prices are high, and we have been without work for over a year and a half.”
Sharp divisions remain over Israel’s demands for Hamas to disarm and over the scope of an Israeli withdrawal. Hamas has rejected those conditions, saying it will not surrender weapons or expel its leaders until a Palestinian state is established.
U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Monday that the remaining hostages would only be freed if Hamas was “confronted and destroyed,” urging a decisive Israeli campaign.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to end the Russia-Ukraine war were “gettin...
Iran successfully launched three satellites on Sunday using a Russian Soyuz rocket from Russia’s Far East, marking the latest stage in growing Iran-...
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow in Yunnan province on ...
More than 1,200 people have been newly displaced in Sudan’s South and North Kordofan states due to escalating insecurity, the International Organisa...
Torrential rainfall across southern and eastern Spain over the weekend has left one person dead and two others missing, authorities said on Sunday eve...
Italian authorities have arrested nine people on suspicion of financing Hamas through Italy based charities, prosecutors said on Saturday, in an operation coordinated by anti mafia and anti terrorism units.
The year began with cautious optimism as a ceasefire deal, brokered by Egypt and Qatar on January 15th, brought a temporary halt to the 15 months of devastating war in Gaza.
Israeli forces have launched new airstrikes across multiple areas of the Gaza Strip, despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement leading to multiple casualties.
Türkiye’s intelligence chief has held talks with the head of Hamas’ negotiating team as part of ongoing efforts to advance the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Turkish security sources said on Saturday.
New York placed the state under emergency measures on Friday as a powerful winter storm brought the heaviest snowfall since 2022, disrupting travel across the north-east of the United States.
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck offshore near Taiwan’s north-eastern county of Yilan late on Saturday, shaking buildings across the island, including in the capital Taipei, authorities said.
Brigitte Bardot, the French actress whose barefoot mambo in And God Created Woman propelled her to international fame and reshaped female sexuality on screen, has died at the age of 91, her foundation said on Sunday.
Iran is engaged in a “comprehensive war” with the United States, Israel, and Europe, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Saturday.
Japan’s tourism sector has experienced a slowdown after China’s government advised its citizens to reconsider travel to Japan, following remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan.
Armenia is considering the possibility of exporting goods to Azerbaijan, as discussions between the two countries continue over potential trade supplies, officials said.
Uzbekistan has begun preparations to launch its first artificial satellite and train its first astronaut, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced, describing the move as a major milestone in the country’s scientific and technological development.
Azerbaijan is strengthening its role in international energy projects through foreign investment, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said on Thursday, describing the energy sector as a central pillar of the country’s economic diplomacy.
The move is intended to combine digital innovation and long-term infrastructure planning with further modernise urban mobility while strengthening the country’s position as a key transit hub across Eurasia.
Foreign aid and its political implications are at the centre of public debate in Georgia with mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze echoing U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's stance on USAID.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment