Israel is studying Hamas' response to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and partial release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, Israeli officials said, quoted by "Reuters".
The potential deal envisages the release of half of the captured Israelis in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and expanded humanitarian aid.
According to Hamas, the plan includes an exchange of 10 living and 18 deceased hostages for 200 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, as well as an unspecified number of women and minors. Egyptian sources confirmed the details and said the group was also demanding the release of hundreds of detainees in Gaza itself. The agreement calls for a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, who currently control 75 percent of the enclave.
Qatari foreign policy spokesman Majed al-Ansari said the truce would open "the path to a comprehensive agreement to end the war." Israel had previously accepted a similar plan proposed by US envoy Steve Witkoff, but previous talks failed due to disagreements over details - specifically the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave.
While discussions are ongoing, violence continues. Israeli shelling and airstrikes killed at least 20 people on Tuesday, Gaza health authorities said. Tanks overran the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City and shelled the neighboring Sabra area, killing two women and a man. Dozens of civilians were trapped in their homes.
Israel's plans for an offensive in Gaza City have alarmed a million civilians there and led to mass protests in Israel, where tens of thousands demanded a deal to free the remaining hostages. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to convene discussions on the proposal soon, with a decision likely within the next two days.
Netanyahu is under pressure from his far-right partners Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who insist the war continues until Hamas is defeated and Gaza annexed. Izzat el-Reshiq, a spokesman for the group, said the agreed ceasefire was "temporary" and would open the door to talks to end the war.