Israel reviewing Hamas response to Gaza ceasefire proposal
Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli army airstrike in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Mariam Dagga)
Israel is studying the response of Hamas to a Gaza ceasefire proposal, as two officials spoke on August 19th of a potential deal for a 60-day truce and the liberation of half the Israeli hostages still held in the enclave, Asharq Al-Awsat via Reuters reported.
Efforts to pause the fighting gained new momentum after Israel declared plans for a new offensive to seize control of Gaza City, and Egypt and Qatar have been pushing to kickstart indirect negotiations between the parties on a US-endorsed ceasefire plan. This proposal includes the liberation of 200 Palestinian detainees jailed in Israel and an unspecified amount of jailed women and children, in exchange for up to 10 living and 18 dead captives from Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently decided to move forward with a major ground offensive targeting Gaza City, a decision that has dramatically raised the stakes amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
Two Egyptian security sources confirmed the details and said that Hamas has also asked for the liberation of hundreds of Gaza detainees. Attempts for a hostage exchange have been a key component of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
The proposal includes a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, which currently control three-quarters of Gaza and the flow of further humanitarian supplies into the enclave, where a population of over two million is facing famine. The most recent round of indirect talks between the two sides resulted in a deadlock in July, with both parties blaming each other for the collapse. Israel had initially agreed to a framework proposed by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, but the negotiations stalled over disagreements on the finer details.
Recent Israeli plans to seize control of Gaza City have stirred alarm abroad and among the estimated one million people presently living there. Airstrikes have continued to hit Gaza, with at least 24 being killed in the Strip on August 13th following an Israeli operation. The international community have condemned Israel’s attacks near aid sites across Gaza.
Asharq Al-Awsat via Reuters, Maghrebi.org
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