Hamas has agreed to a ceasefire proposal in Gaza, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, according to a statement released by the group on Monday. Ismail Haniyeh, the chief of Hamas, has communicated the acceptance to the Prime Minister of Qatar and Egypt’s intelligence chief.
Details of the ceasefire terms were not disclosed, but the agreement involves a three-phased approach, each lasting 42 days, said the Deputy Gaza Chief of Hamas. He highlighted that Egyptian mediators have assured that hostilities in Gaza will not recommence during this period.
The ceasefire agreement includes several key demands from Hamas, including a ceasefire, reconstruction initiatives, the return of displaced persons, and a prisoner swap deal. A Hamas delegation is scheduled to visit Cairo soon to further discuss the agreement and the subsequent steps.
The second phase of the agreement calls for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as stated by the Deputy Chief of Hamas in Gaza. Despite this, an Israeli military spokesperson noted that Israeli forces are still active in Gaza and will continue their operations.
An anonymous Israeli official described the ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas as a “softened” version of an earlier Egyptian proposal, which contained “far-reaching” terms unacceptable to Israel. The official suggested, “This would appear to be a ruse intended to make Israel look like the side refusing a deal.”