Hamas has accepted a proposal from Egyptian and Qatari mediators –reportedly identical to one previously accepted by Israel – for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the Palestinian death toll has passed 62,000.
The proposal is believed to include a 60-day truce with a two-phased release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails, followed by negotiations for a permanent ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will only accept a deal in which all hostages are freed at once.
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday to call for the hostages to be freed and an end ot the war, and with the Knesset in recess, Netanyahu may be more free to act on a deal without the support of his far-right coalition partners.
There are a believed to be 49 hostages held by Hamas since October 7, 2023 of which only 20 are thought to still be alive.
