Hamas has accepted a Gaza cease-fire proposal put forward by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, a Palestinian official close to the group told Reuters on Monday, potentially opening the door to an end to the war.
The new proposal, which sees the release of 10 hostages and 70 days of truce, was received by Hamas through mediators.
"The proposal includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in two groups in return for a 70-day cease-fire and a partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip," the source said.
The proposal also sees the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners by Israel, including hundreds of those serving lengthy prison terms.
"The new proposal, which is considered a development of the path and vision of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a 70-day truce, a partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip (and) the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners," the source close to negotiations told AFP.
There was no immediate comment from Israel.
The outline of the new potential deal comes as Israel ramps up its offensive in the Palestinian territory and follows previous rounds of talks that have failed to reach a breakthrough ever since a two-month cease-fire fell apart in mid-March.
The source added that mediators presented the proposal "over the past few days," without specifying whether it came from the United States, Egypt or Qatar, all of which have been involved in the cease-fire talks throughout the war.
The proposal would involve the release of "five living Israeli hostages during the first week of the agreement's implementation, and five others before the end of the truce period," they added.
Israel said last week that it was recalling its senior Gaza hostage negotiators from Doha "for consultation", while leaving some of its team in the Qatari capital.
Israel has recently intensified its campaign in Gaza, calling it an "expansion of the battle" against the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
The last cease-fire between the sides fell apart amid disagreements over how to move forward, with Israel resuming its operations in Gaza on March 18.
