Peace Volleyball: Proposals And Counterproposals as Gaza Conflict Grows Again

Hamas agreed to a new Gaza ceasefire proposal submitted by mediators Egypt and Qatar over the weekend, raising the prospect of a renewed truce as Israeli officials said they were reviewing the offer and had delivered a counterproposal in coordination with the United States, Reuters reported.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official and head of its negotiating team, announced that the group had “accepted” the proposal Saturday, which reportedly includes the phased release of five Israeli hostages and a temporary cessation of hostilities.

According to Israeli sources, the deal envisions a 50-day ceasefire starting over the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, during which Hamas would release five hostages each week, Bloomberg noted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed consultations on the proposal and said it sent a counteroffer to the mediators, though details were not released.

The negotiations follow weeks of indirect talks that resumed after Israel restarted its military campaign March 18 in the Gaza Strip, ending a two-month ceasefire.

Despite the diplomatic efforts, Israeli strikes continued across the territory over the weekend. On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces launched new ground operations in the al-Janina neighborhood of Rafah and carried out airstrikes throughout the enclave.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry said more than 40 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll since March 18 to nearly 900, according to the Associated Press.

Since the conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 50,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian enclave, according to Gaza health officials.

The war was triggered by a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage. Israel has since demanded the return of the 59 hostages still in Gaza, along with the group’s disarmament and exile of its leadership.

Hamas has refused calls to lay down weapons, insisting that it would not disarm as long as the “Israeli” occupation exists.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces carried out their first strike on Lebanon’s capital since the end of the November ceasefire with Hezbollah, targeting a drone facility in a Beirut neighborhood.

Lebanon condemned the strike, while French President Emmanuel Macron criticized it as a violation of the ceasefire agreement and pledged to raise the matter with Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.