Hamas has reportedly accepted a Qatari- and Egyptian-brokered ceasefire and hostage exchange with Israel that would halt fighting in Gaza for 60 days and secure the release of dozens of hostages.
According to Axios, the plan calls for Hamas to free 10 living hostages along with the remains of 18 others who died in captivity. In return, Israel would release an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners.
A diplomatic source told Axios the deal is “98% similar” to a US-backed framework that Israel had already accepted but Hamas previously rejected.
Hamas confirmed its approval in a statement reported by Reuters: “Hamas, along with the Palestinian factions, relayed their acceptance of the proposal put forward yesterday by the Qatari and Egyptian mediators.”
Israeli officials said they have not yet received Hamas’ written response and could not confirm whether they would accept it, Axios reported.
Just hours earlier on Aug. 18, President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that no hostages would be released until Hamas was “destroyed.”
“We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!!” Trump wrote. “The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be.”
According to Axios, Egyptian and Qatari officials met with Hamas representatives in Cairo Aug. 17. The next day, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani joined the discussions. Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Haya reportedly delivered the group’s response at the Aug. 18 meeting.
The development comes less than two weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to seize Gaza City and temporarily take control of the Gaza Strip, CatholicVote reported. Israel’s Security Cabinet approved Netanyahu’s proposal Aug. 7, Reuters reported. The operation was expected to last several months.
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Author: Elise Winland
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