Hamas has reportedly agreed to the terms proposed for a ceasefire with Israel, which has conducted land and air assault on Gaza in retaliation for the October 7, 2023 attack.
During the invasion of Israel by Hamas, many hostages were taken into Gaza, with only a few released as crisis escalated resulting in the deaths of an estimated 46,000 Palestinians.
Over 1,000 Israelis were killed in the 2023 attack.
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On Wednesday, Israeli and Palestinian officials said Hamas had given its approval to a deal to release hostages and halt fighting in Gaza.
According to reports in multiple media outlets, Israeli officials indicated that the two sides had come to an agreement and a deal could soon be announced.
Both Reuters and AFP reported that Hamas had given verbal approval for the deal, citing Palestinian sources.
According to Reuters, the group had not yet given a written response to the ceasefire proposal.
Citing a source, CNN said the deal could lead to the phased release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
It added that implementation is likely to start on Sunday. Hamas is reportedly expected to release 33 hostages during the first phase of an emerging deal while hundreds of Palestinian prisoners would be released from Israeli jails at the same time.
“The release of the hostages would be the first phase of the deal being finalized. Negotiations to reach the second phase – which is intended to end the war – would begin on the 16th day of the implementation of the deal. Here’s what we know about the potential deal,” CNN said in its report.
The agreement would deliver the first reprieve from war for the people of Gaza in more than a year, and only the second since the Israeli bombardment began.
Once confirmed, it is expected that the deal will allow Palestinian civilians to return to northern Gaza and there would be a massive influx of humanitarian aid into the strip, where residents have long faced dire humanitarian conditions.
In a separate statement, the group was quoted to have said that it had consulted allied groups regarding the proposed agreement.
“The movement has dealt with this matter with full responsibility and positivity, stemming from its duty towards our steadfast and resilient people in the Gaza Strip, to stop the Zionist aggression against them and put an end to the massacres and genocide they are facing.”
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