Hamas Agrees to Ceasefire Deal
Hamas has agreed to a new ceasefire and hostage release deal proposed by mediators Egypt and Qatar that is closely based on a U.S.-backed plan from earlier this summer. The proposal includes a 60-day truce during which Hamas would release about half of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, with negotiations for a permanent ceasefire continuing in that time. A Hamas official confirmed the group accepted the proposal “without any amendments or conditions.”
While Israel has received the response via mediators, its position hasn’t changed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that they will only accept a deal if all of the hostages are released at once, Hamas is disarmed, and Israeli security controls Gaza. "Like you, I hear the reports in the media – and from them one thing is clear: Hamas is under immense pressure," Netanyahu said, without addressing the deal directly. Far-right members of his coalition, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, continue to oppose any partial agreement.
The deal comes as tensions escalate, with the Israeli military preparing a major ground operation in Gaza City. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis worsens, with over 61,000 people killed in Gaza and famine taking hold. Protests are erupting on both sides. In Israel, hundreds of thousands demonstrated over the weekend demanding the government accept a deal. In Gaza, civilians continue to plead for peace and safety. “Our only demand is peace and safety for our children,” one woman told a journalist.
Mediators are now pressing both sides for movement. A diplomat involved in the talks said the proposal aims to “avoid a worsening of the humanitarian situation” and opens the way toward a broader deal. Hamas has reportedly asked for written U.S. guarantees that Israel won’t resume fighting after the truce ends. The path forward depends on whether Israel is willing to compromise or push ahead with its planned full-scale assault on Gaza City.
