Hamas agrees to Gaza ceasefire proposal, Israel makes counter-proposal

Hamas has reportedly agreed to a Gaza ceasefire proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar.

Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said in a televised speech on Saturday (Mar. 30) that they received proposals from Egypt and Qatar two days ago, Reuters, CNN, and AP News reported.

According to the proposal, Hamas would release five Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel's release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

In return, Israel will also allow aid into the territory and a weeklong pause in fighting, AP News reported.

It also includes an agreement to negotiate the second phase of the ceasefire, according to CNN.

"We dealt with it positively and accepted it," al-Hayya said, as quoted by Reuters.

Al-Hayya also said that Hamas has "fully abided" with the conditions of the first ceasefire deal and hopes Israel "does not obstruct this proposal".

Counter-proposal

Israel responded to the ceasefire proposal with a counter-proposal, the Prime Minister's office said in a statement

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a series of consultations yesterday pursuant to the proposal that was received from the mediators. A few hours ago, Israel conveyed to the mediators a counter-proposal in full coordination with the U.S.," said the Prime Minister's office.

As of now, details of the counter-proposal are not available.

Earlier this month, Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas and launched a deadly wave of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds of people.

Israel said it launched the attack following Hamas's "repeated refusal to release [Israeli] hostages", and rejections of all proposals it received from U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and mediators.

The White House blamed Hamas for the renewed attacks, according to AP News.

Meanwhile, Hamas called Israel's attack an "unprovoked escalation" which could jeopardise the fate of the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

Ceasefire deal

The airstrikes took place two months after Israel and Hamas agreed on a temporary ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip as part of a three-phase agreement designed to put a permanent end to the Israel-Hamas war.

Both parties failed to reach an agreement on the terms for the second phase of the ceasefire deal.

Hamas has demanded an end to the war and a full withdrawal of the Israeli military as conditions for the release of the remaining hostages.

However, Israel said it would not stop the war until it dismantled Hamas's leadership and military capabilities and released all of the hostages.

On Mar. 27, thousands of Palestinians took to the streets in northern Gaza to protest against the ongoing war with Israel, as well as Hamas, in a rare show of public anger against the militant group in control of the territory.

A protester who took part in the rally in Gaza City, Muayed Zahir, was quoted as saying, "We do not want Hamas! We are tired."

Top image via AFP