Hamas agrees to ceasefire proposal it received from mediators Hamas chief says

CAIRO - Hamas has agreed to a Gaza ceasefire proposal it received two days ago from mediators Egypt and Qatar, the Palestinian groups chief said on Saturday.

Two days ago, we received a proposal from the mediators in Egypt and Qatar. We dealt with it positively and accepted it, Khalil al-Hayya said in a televised speech.

We hope that the (Israeli) occupation will not undermine (it),said Hayya, who leads the Hamas negotiating team in indirect talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza that erupted in October 2023.

Security sources told Reuters on Thursday that Egypt had received positive indications from Israel over a new ceasefire proposal that would include a transitional phase.

The proposal suggests Hamas release five of the Israeli hostages it is holding each week, the sources said.

The Israeli prime ministers office said it had held a series of consultations according to the proposal that was received from the mediators, and that Israel had conveyed to the mediators a counter-proposal in full coordination with the United States.

Reuters asked the prime ministers office if it had also agreed to the ceasefire proposal but it did not immediately respond. REUTERS

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