On Sunday, it was reported that Hamas had demanded a “clear written commitment” from Israel to withdraw their troops from the Gaza Strip during the second of a three-phase cease-fire deal, a senior Egyptian official and a Hamas official said. The Palestinian militant group said it had submitted its response to a six-week cease-fire proposal to Egyptian and Qatari mediators, according to a recent report.
“We confirm our readiness to reach a deal regarding a serious exchange of prisoners between the two sides,” Hamas said.
This proposal from Hamas comes after their rejection of an Israeli ceasefire proposal which they had received last Monday. Hamas maintains that any agreement reached by Israel and their group should include an end to the war.
"We... reaffirm our adherence to our demands and the national demands of our people; with a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation army from the entire Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced to their areas and places of residence, intensification of the entry of relief and aid, and the start of reconstruction," the Palestinian militant group said, adding that an increase in the number of Palestinian prisoners Hamas wants to see released will also be included in the proposed deal.
In February, Hamas proposed a three-stage ceasefire deal that would last 135 days and hopefully result in the exchange of hostages. The ceasefire was reportedly proposed to last for three phases with each phase lasting 45 days, according to a report by the Middle East Eye.
Meanwhile, Israel has claimed that while they want to secure the return of hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack, they will not stop the war until they destroy the militant group.
While Israel has reportedly pulled much of its military forces from Gaza earlier this month, they have maintained that they still plan to attack Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where about 1.4 million Palestinians are, with most of whom sheltering after being displaced due to the war.
The war has also left more than 1 million people on the brink of starvation as Israel’s war on Hamas has pushed Gaza into a humanitarian crisis.