Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza without requesting any changes, a source from the group told AFP on Monday, following a renewed diplomatic push to end more than 22 months of conflict.
Mediators Egypt and Qatar, supported by the United States, have struggled to secure a lasting truce in the war, which has caused a severe humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
After receiving the latest proposal from the mediators, Hamas indicated it was ready for talks.
"Hamas has delivered its response to the mediators, confirming that Hamas and the factions agreed to the new ceasefire proposal without requesting any amendments," the source said on condition of anonymity.
The announcement comes shortly after US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to the militant group on Truth Social, stating, "We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be."
Trump highlighted his past record, claiming credit for securing hostage releases and ending multiple conflicts. "Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!). I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who OBLITERATED Iran’s Nuclear facilities. Play to WIN, or don’t play at all! Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Israel has not yet responded.
A Palestinian source familiar with the talks said mediators were "expected to announce that an agreement has been reached and set a date for the resumption of talks," adding that guarantees were offered to ensure implementation and pursue a permanent solution.
Earlier, a Palestinian official said mediators had proposed an initial 60-day truce, with hostages to be released in two batches.
The proposal comes more than a week after Israel’s security cabinet approved plans to expand military operations into Gaza City and nearby refugee camps, sparking both international outcry and domestic opposition.
An Islamic Jihad source told AFP that the plan envisaged a 60-day ceasefire "during which 10 Israeli hostages would be released alive, along with a number of bodies."
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 2023 attack, 49 remain in Gaza, including 27 whom the Israeli military says are dead.
Mediators Egypt and Qatar, supported by the United States, have struggled to secure a lasting truce in the war, which has caused a severe humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
After receiving the latest proposal from the mediators, Hamas indicated it was ready for talks.
"Hamas has delivered its response to the mediators, confirming that Hamas and the factions agreed to the new ceasefire proposal without requesting any amendments," the source said on condition of anonymity.
The announcement comes shortly after US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to the militant group on Truth Social, stating, "We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be."
Trump highlighted his past record, claiming credit for securing hostage releases and ending multiple conflicts. "Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!). I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who OBLITERATED Iran’s Nuclear facilities. Play to WIN, or don’t play at all! Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Israel has not yet responded.
A Palestinian source familiar with the talks said mediators were "expected to announce that an agreement has been reached and set a date for the resumption of talks," adding that guarantees were offered to ensure implementation and pursue a permanent solution.
Earlier, a Palestinian official said mediators had proposed an initial 60-day truce, with hostages to be released in two batches.
The proposal comes more than a week after Israel’s security cabinet approved plans to expand military operations into Gaza City and nearby refugee camps, sparking both international outcry and domestic opposition.
An Islamic Jihad source told AFP that the plan envisaged a 60-day ceasefire "during which 10 Israeli hostages would be released alive, along with a number of bodies."
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 2023 attack, 49 remain in Gaza, including 27 whom the Israeli military says are dead.
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