Hamas has given initial approval to a U.S.-backed proposal for a phased ceasefire deal in Gaza, dropping its key demand that Israel commit to ending the war completely, a Hamas official and an Egyptian official said Saturday.
The compromise by Hamas, which controlled Gaza before triggering the war with an attack on Israel on October 7, could bring about the first pause in fighting since November and pave the way for new negotiations to end nine months of devastating war.
All sides have warned that a deal is still not guaranteed.
In Gaza, the Health Ministry said an Israeli airstrike on a school turned shelter killed at least 16 people and wounded at least 50 others in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Children were among the dead and wounded. The Israeli military said it was studying the report.
The two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations, said Washington’s phased deal would begin with a “comprehensive” six-week cease-fire in which the elderly, the sick and women who are being held hostage would be released in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. During those 42 days, Israeli forces would withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza and allow displaced people to return to their homes in northern Gaza, the officials said.
During that period, Hamas, Israel and the mediators will negotiate the terms of the second phase that could lead to the release of the remaining male hostages, both civilian and military, the officials said.
In return, Israel would release additional Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The third phase would include the return of the remaining hostages, including the bodies of the dead, and the launch of a reconstruction project that would span several years.
“Guarantees” that bring a ceasefire closer
The Hamas representative told The Associated Press that the group’s approval came after it received “verbal commitments and assurances” from mediators that the war would not resume and that negotiations would continue until a permanent cease-fire was reached.
“Now we want these guarantees on paper,” the representative said.
Months of ceasefire talks have stalled over Hamas’s demand that any deal involve a complete end to the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered to suspend the fighting but not end it until Israel achieves its goals of destroying Hamas’ military and government capabilities and returning all hostages held by the group.
Hamas has expressed concern that Israel will resume the war after the hostages are released. Israeli officials have expressed concern that Hamas will extend the talks and the initial ceasefire indefinitely without releasing all the hostages.
Mr. Netanyahu’s office did not respond to requests for comment, and there was no immediate comment from Washington. On Friday, the Israeli prime minister confirmed that the head of the Mossad spy agency had made a flying visit to Qatar, a key mediator, but his office said “gaps between the parties” remained.
“For the first time in many months, we have hope,” many hostage families said.
Israel launched the war on Gaza after a Hamas attack in October, in which members of the group stormed southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and kidnapping about 250. Israel says Hamas is still holding about 120 hostages – about a third of them now believed to be dead.
Since then, the Israeli air and ground offensive has killed more than 38,000 people in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. The offensive has caused widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has left hundreds of thousands on the brink of starvation, international officials say.
The ceasefire deal would allow about 600 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza daily, half of them bound for the hard-hit north of the enclave, the two officials said. Since the Israeli assault on the southernmost city of Rafah, humanitarian aid entering Gaza has been sharply reduced.