Qatari and Egyptian mediators have presented a new ceasefire framework to Hamas, including a multi-year truce, the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners and a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, according to a report on Monday.
The plan, reported by the BBC, which cited a senior Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations, is said to include a truce lasting five to seven years and the establishment of a new governing authority in Gaza, potentially replacing Hamas. The terrorist organization, which has controlled the coastal enclave since its violent takeover in 2007, has signaled willingness to transfer authority to another Palestinian body approved on a “national and regional level,” according to the BBC.
No Israeli confirmation of the proposal has been issued as of time of publication.
A senior Hamas delegation is expected in Cairo to discuss the initiative, just days after the terror group rejected an Israeli offer involving a six-week ceasefire in exchange for disarmament and the return of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that the war will not end until Hamas is dismantled and all hostages are freed.
Israel launched its military campaign against Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, in which Hamas-led terrorists murdered some 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducted 251 individuals into Gaza. The Israeli government has maintained that it will not accept a ceasefire that allows Hamas to remain in power or rearm.
As of Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s Office has not commented publicly on the latest mediation efforts.
