Hamas has agreed to the latest ceasefire and hostage-release proposal coordinated by Egypt and Qatar, senior Hamas official Basem Naim said on Monday. Israeli officials confirmed a few hours later that they had received Hamas's answer from the mediators. An Arab diplomat told Ynetnews that "the ball is now in Israel's court." An Israeli official said that Jerusalem's stance on a possible ceasefire "remains the same - all hostages, all war goals."
Saudi media reported that an “expanded meeting” between mediators and Palestinian factions will be held in Egypt to discuss the proposal further. Hamas reportedly accepted the framework proposed by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff while relinquishing some of its last-minute demands.
A senior Palestinian source told Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen channel that the deal includes a 1,000-meter withdrawal in northern and eastern Gaza, excluding Shuja’iya and Beit Lahiya. Ten living hostages would be exchanged for 140 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 60 others serving more than 15 years. Humanitarian aid—including fuel, water, electricity, hospital and bakery rehabilitation, and debris removal equipment—would be sent to Gaza immediately. The plan also includes revisions to force deployments in northern and eastern Gaza.
According to a senior Palestinian source, central points under discussion include the possible exile of several Hamas leaders abroad, including Izz al-Din al-Haddad, currently the head of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, establishing a committee to manage Gaza, and Israeli supervision of weapons storage and management to ensure compliance with security arrangements.
The announcement came as U.S. President Donald Trump warned Hamas on Truth Social that it would face destruction if it rejected the deal while endorsing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Gaza strategy. Netanyahu visited southern Israel Monday to discuss plans to seize Gaza City with IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Defense Minister Israel Katz. Katz is expected to approve the plans Tuesday, with a cabinet discussion scheduled for Thursday.
Earlier Monday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed al-Thani in Al Alamein near Cairo to discuss the proposal, which had been delivered to senior Hamas officials currently in Egypt. Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad also attended.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum sent an open letter to Trump, calling for the “deal of all deals” to stop the fighting and return all 50 hostages still held in Gaza. Families said nearly a million Israelis had joined Sunday’s nationwide protest in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, demonstrating strong support for returning the hostages and ending the war. The forum also announced a second nationwide strike and day of protests set for August 24.
First published: 17:18, 08.18.25