Israel has acknowledged receiving Hamas’s most recent ceasefire proposal. An Israeli official described the proposal as “workable,” although specific details were not disclosed.
An Israeli source involved in the ceasefire discussions indicated that Israel is currently reviewing the proposal concerning the Gaza Strip.
Hamas confirmed in a statement early Thursday that it had sent a response to mediators.
Israel stated that it is evaluating Hamas’s response. A statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed receipt of the Hamas reply on Thursday but provided no further detail as to the substance of the document.
This offer follows a statement a day earlier from over 100 charity and human rights groups asserting that Israel’s blockade and military offensive are driving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip towards starvation.
Experts suggest that Gaza faces a famine risk due to Israel’s blockade and the offensive initiated in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Europe to engage with key Middle Eastern leaders to discuss the recent ceasefire proposal and the release of hostages.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 59,000 Palestinians. While the count doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians, the ministry reports that more than half of the fatalities are women and children.
Elsewhere in the region, Palestinian health officials reported on Thursday that two Palestinian teenage boys were killed by Israeli fire on Wednesday night in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military stated that its forces fired at Palestinians who were throwing petrol bombs towards a major road, resulting in two deaths near the town of Al-Khader.
Palestinian health officials identified the deceased teenagers as Ahmed Al-Salah, 15, and Mohammed Khaled Alian Issa, 17.
Violence in the occupied West Bank has intensified since the Gaza war began. The United Nations reports that over 955 Palestinians have been killed there by Israeli fire during this period, many during raids Israel claims are intended to suppress militancy.
