Hamas Proposes Six-Week Truce in Gaza and Hostage Exchange

Hamas has put forward a proposal for a new six-week truce in Gaza, coupled with an exchange of hostages between Israel and Palestinian prisoners. An official from the militant group conveyed this information to AFP on Friday.

According to the official, the proposed agreement entails a six-week ceasefire and a reciprocal exchange of hostages. This proposal comes after weeks of mediation efforts, which have thus far yielded no tangible results. Hamas emphasizes that they aim for this agreement to lead to a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the establishment of a permanent ceasefire.

Under the terms of the proposed truce, Gaza militants would release approximately 42 hostages who were seized during the October 7 attack that initiated the conflict in Gaza. The official mentioned that the ratio for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails would range between 20 and 50 prisoners per hostage, a significant increase from previous proposals.

Hamas states that during the proposed six-week truce, Israeli forces must withdraw from all cities and populated areas in the Gaza Strip, allowing for the return of displaced Gazans without restrictions.

Additionally, Hamas calls for an escalation in the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza as part of the proposal. The terms of an eventual ceasefire would mandate Israel's complete military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a comprehensive exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, with the involvement of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States in ensuring the agreement's implementation.

Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, primarily civilians, while Israel's retaliatory military campaign reportedly claimed the lives of at least 31,490 individuals in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

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