Hamas agrees to ceasefire proposal it received from mediators, Israel submits counterproposal

Hamas has agreed to a ceasefire proposal it received from mediators, the group’s leader in Gaza said Saturday.

“Two days ago, we received a proposal from our mediating brothers,” the leader, Khalil al-Hayya, said during a speech. “We dealt with it positively and approved it. We hope that the occupation will not obstruct it and thwart the mediators’ efforts.”

While the details of the ceasefire proposal were not immediately available, al-Hayya said Egypt suggested the formation of “a community support committee to manage the Gaza Strip.”

“This committee would bear full responsibility for the Strip in all areas,” he said. “It would be composed of independent national figures, and they would assume their duties immediately upon reaching an agreement to block any propaganda that the enemy might practice.”

Egypt had not released any comment about the proposed details Saturday, but its State Information Service said Friday that its minister of foreign affairs and emigration spoke with his Turkish counterpart to discuss ceasefire efforts.

Israel has submitted a counterproposal to mediators after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “held a series of consultations yesterday,” according to his office, adding that it is “in full coordination with the United States.”

It is not clear what, if any, objections Israel has to the ceasefire proposal.

If adopted, this ceasefire would come after Israel broke a previously-established ceasefire with Hamas, launching a barrage of deadly airstrikes at Gaza and killing more than 400 people. That ceasefire agreement had gone into effect on Jan. 19.

Israel blamed Hamas for the attack, citing the group’s refusal to meet Israel’s demand to release more hostages in return for the resumption of talks.

But that was not part of that original ceasefire agreement, which included a first phase, where Hamas released 25 living hostages and the bodies of eight in exchange for around 1,800 of Palestinian prisoners by March 1. The second phase was meant to begin 16 days later and would have included the exchange of all the remaining hostages and the establishment of a permanent ceasefire.

The second phase never came. Netanyahu accepted a plan by Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, to extend the ceasefire for 50 days to discuss phase two, which Hamas rejected.

After Hamas’ rejection, Israel blocked the flow of aid and goods into Gaza and eventually hit the enclave with airstrikes on the night of March 18. In remarks following the airstrikes, Netanyahu said “this is just the beginning.”

The strikes ended nearly two months of relative peace between Israel and Hamas.

It is not clear how the new ceasefire proposal differs from the last, or whether Hamas will accept Israel’s counterproposal.