Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made a visit to northern Gaza, as announced by his office, while the military continued with its aerial and ground operations in the region.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the northern Gaza Strip today,” stated an official release from his office.
The military resumed its operations in Gaza on March 18, breaking a two-month ceasefire with Hamas that had largely curtailed hostilities.
In the aftermath, Israeli forces have regained significant portions of the territory, prompting hundreds of thousands of individuals to flee from areas facing intensified military actions.
A girl stands among the debris in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.
This announcement coincided with remarks from a senior Hamas official who indicated that the group anticipates responding within 48 hours to an Israeli ceasefire proposal conveyed through mediators.
“Hamas will likely deliver its response to the mediators within the next 48 hours, as the movement is still engaged in detailed discussions,” the official informed AFP.
Yesterday, Hamas confirmed it had received Israel’s latest proposal aimed at ceasing the ongoing war in Gaza, which has now lasted for 18 months.
The official noted that the proposal includes a truce lasting at least 45 days in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages currently held in Gaza.
Additionally, it stipulates the release of 1,231 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli facilities and facilitates the entry of humanitarian aid into the area, which has been under a complete blockade since March 2.
Moreover, the proposal calls for a “permanent end to the war” contingent upon the disarmament of Palestinian factions in Gaza, including Hamas, as per the official.
Hamas has dismissed the disarmament condition as a “red line” and “non-negotiable”.
Release of Edan Alexander as a ‘gesture of goodwill’
The Hamas representative indicated that the Israeli proposal entails the release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander on the first day of the ceasefire as a “gesture of goodwill”.
Mr. Alexander is noted to be the sole living hostage possessing U.S. citizenship.
On the second day, Hamas would release five additional hostages in exchange for 66 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli jails and 611 Gazans detained during the current conflict.
On the third day, discussions would commence regarding “day after” scenarios for post-war arrangements, including the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian factions in return for a permanent ceasefire.
Hamas has firmly maintained that the preservation of its arms is a red line.
During the second week of the ceasefire, Hamas would release four more living hostages in exchange for 54 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and an additional 500 detainees from Gaza.
Israel has not yet issued a comment regarding the proposal’s specifics.
The advocacy group Tikva Forum of Hostages’ Families, which represents a small faction of hostage families pushing for continued military efforts, stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed the country’s intent to seek the release of 10 living captives.
According to the group, Mr. Netanyahu spoke with Ditza Or, the mother of hostage Avinatan Or, late yesterday, and confirmed that Mr. Alexander was among those included in the proposed exchange.
In response, she remarked that “there is a moral obligation to return everyone together in one stage and on one bus,” the group noted.
Out of the 251 hostages taken during the unprecedented Hamas attack in October 2023 that initiated the war, 58 are still held in Gaza, with 34 identified by the Israeli military as deceased.
