A general view shows destroyed buildings in Gaza City. AFP
The plan, based on an initiative from US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, calls for a two-month truce and a phased handover of captives.
Under the terms, 10 Israelis held alive and the remains of 18 out of 36 confirmed dead would be released in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
Israeli forces would also reposition closer to Gaza’s border to allow humanitarian aid to enter, while negotiations would begin immediately on a broader agreement, including guarantees for Gaza’s postwar future and the possibility of a permanent truce.
Hamas described the deal as the best available option to shield civilians from further escalation and a step towards a comprehensive resolution.
Since October 2023, Egypt, Qatar, and the US have led mediation efforts to halt the Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed over 62,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 153,000 others, most of them women and children.
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