Mediators seek to urgently negotiate a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to release the remaining hostages among Israeli threats to launch a radical offensive throughout the enclave.
But Israel, the United States and Hamas have sent contradictory messages in recent days on progress in truce talks that would release the hostages, even if President Trump seemed to increase the pressure to end the war.
The ceasefire proposal currently under discussion seemed largely similar to previous offers, including a two-month previous truce which collapsed in March, according to officials, who spoke under the cover of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak publicly.
Under the offer, Israel and Hamas would accept an initial truce of 60 days during which Hamas would release approximately 10 living hostages and half of the remaining bodies in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli prisons, according to two Israeli officials, a Western official and a fourth person informed negotiations.
During the two-month ceasefire, Israel and Hamas would negotiate the conditions for a permanent truce, officials said. Hamas wants to guarantee that these talks would lead to the end of the war – assurance that Israel does not want to include in the agreement, according to one of the Israeli officials and the Western official.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said he was “ready for a temporary ceasefire”, his conditions to end the war include non-starters for Hamas. Netanyahu demanded that the group lay down its arms and that its leaders leave Gaza and come into exile, that the leaders of Hamas have rejected.