Israel is evaluating its response after Hamas announced its readiness to immediately begin talks on a US-backed proposal for a Gaza ceasefire.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, with a security cabinet meeting expected after sundown Saturday to discuss Israel’s next steps.
President Trump has intensified efforts to end the nearly 21-month conflict in Gaza, where civil defence officials reported 35 fatalities from Israeli military operations on Saturday.
An Israeli government official told AFP that “no decision has been made yet” regarding Hamas’s positive response to the latest truce proposal.
Details of the Proposed Truce and Hamas’s Conditions
Hamas’s statement on Friday, following consultations with other Palestinian factions, declared the group “ready to engage immediately and seriously in a cycle of negotiations” on the US-backed plan.
Palestinian sources close to the discussions indicated the proposal includes a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
However, Hamas is also demanding specific conditions for Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, guarantees against a resumption of hostilities during negotiations, and the reinstatement of the UN-led aid distribution system.
International Reactions and Lingering Challenges
When asked about Hamas’s response, President Trump remarked, “That’s good. They haven’t briefed me on it. We have to get it over with. We have to do something about Gaza.”
Meanwhile, the Egyptian foreign ministry confirmed that its top diplomat discussed recent developments and preparations for “indirect meetings” with Washington’s main truce representative, Steve Witkoff.
In Israel, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum reiterated its plea for a negotiated agreement to bring back all captives.
“This is the hour to bring about a comprehensive deal that will guarantee the return of the last hostage,” the group urged.
Previous truce efforts have faltered, primarily due to Israel’s refusal to guarantee a permanent ceasefire, a core Hamas demand.
The conflict, ignited by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel (which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians), has resulted in a devastating Israeli offensive in Gaza, killing at least 57,338 people, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. This has created dire humanitarian conditions for Gaza’s more than two million residents.
Aid distribution remains contentious. The US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has taken the lead in food distribution since Israel partially lifted an aid blockade in late May.
However, the GHF’s operations have faced controversy, with UN agencies refusing cooperation over concerns of alignment with Israeli military objectives.
A GHF chairman, Johnnie Moore, recently rejected calls for UN agencies to regain the lead in aid distribution, despite reports from the UN human rights office of over 500 deaths at GHF distribution points due to Israeli fire.
On Saturday, GHF reported two of its US staff were wounded in a “targeted terrorist attack” at an aid centre in Khan Yunis.
