Hamas has offered a proposal for a five-year ceasefire with Israel in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages, according to officials speaking Saturday ahead of negotiations in Cairo. However, the Palestinian militant group ruled out laying down its arms, a key Israeli demand, complicating prospects for a broader peace deal.
A Hamas delegation led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo to present its terms to Egyptian mediators, with talks aimed at ending the nearly 18-month war that erupted after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Hamas “is ready for an exchange of prisoners in a single batch and a truce for five years," a Hamas official told AFP.
Taher Al-Nono, media adviser for Hamas leadership, stated, "The idea of a truce or its duration is not rejected by us, and we are ready to discuss it within the framework of negotiations." However, he emphasized that "the weapon of resistance is not negotiable and will remain in our hands as long as the occupation exists."
Israel, which demands the return of all 59 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza and the full demilitarization of Hamas, has shown skepticism toward the proposal. Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said earlier this week that "the war could end tomorrow if Hamas released the remaining 59 hostages and laid down its weapons."
Negotiators have faced a wide gap between Israeli and Hamas positions. Israel's latest offer included a 45-day ceasefire in exchange for the return of 10 living hostages, a plan Hamas rejected as insufficient.
The new Hamas offer comes amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza. The World Food Programme reported Friday that its food stocks had been exhausted, warning that hot meal kitchens would soon run out of supplies. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said medical supplies were also critically low, calling for an immediate end to the aid blockade.
Israeli strikes across Gaza intensified over the weekend, with civil defense authorities in Gaza City reporting that at least 10 people were killed in a strike on the Al-Khour family home. An additional 20 individuals were believed trapped under the rubble, survivors said.
The Gaza Health Ministry, under Hamas control, estimates that more than 51,400 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war. Israel launched its renewed offensive on March 18 after a fragile January ceasefire collapsed, seeking to exert maximum pressure on Hamas to release the hostages.
Meanwhile, Hamas sources told Israel's N12 network that internal pressure from Gaza's civilian population has pushed some leaders toward considering a longer-term truce. However, they noted that any final agreement could include the expulsion of top Hamas commanders such as Muhammad Sinwar and Gaza Brigade commander Izz ad-Din Haddad from the enclave.
