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Hamas has accepted a new proposal put forward by Egypt to release five hostages, including American-Israeli Edan Alexander, in exchange for a renewed ceasefire, CNN reported, citing a Hamas source statement.
The Egyptian proposal is similar to one presented earlier by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. However, it is unclear whether this new proposal also includes the release of additional bodies of deceased hostages. In exchange for the release of the five hostages, Hamas expects a return to phase 1 ceasefire conditions, including the entry of humanitarian aid, as well as an agreement to negotiate the second phase of the ceasefire, the source said. Israel responded to the Egyptian offer with a counter-proposal, according to a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's office. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted a series of consultations yesterday, following a proposal received from the mediators. In recent hours, Israel transferred its counter proposal to the mediators, in full coordination with the United States," the office said. According to Israeli media reports, the initiative would allow for a truce in Gaza in exchange for releasing five Israeli captives. Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Hamas earlier this week that Israel would maintain a permanent presence in parts of Gaza unless the hostages are released, CNN reported. The wobbly ceasefire collapsed on Tuesday when Israel bombarded Gaza, shattering two months of calm that also saw dozens of hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, as per CNN. On Friday, Katz said that he'd instructed the Israeli military "to seize additional areas in Gaza, while evacuating the population, and to expand the security zones around Gaza in order to protect Israeli communities and IDF soldiers through permanent maintenance of the territory by Israel." "The more Hamas continues its refusal to release the kidnapped, the more territory it will lose to Israel," he added, CNN reported. Earlier this month, Israel resumed its military campaign in Gaza, enforcing a complete blockade on humanitarian aid entering the region. The Israeli government has warned that its forces will maintain a permanent presence in parts of Gaza until the release of 24 hostages believed to be alive. According to health authorities in Gaza, at least 50,277 Palestinians have been killed and another 114,095 injured since Israel's military offensive began in the enclave, following deadly terror attacks launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023. (ANI)
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