A 60-day Gaza ceasefire proposal calls for the release of 10 Israeli hostages and the remains of 18 others, Israeli media said on Thursday.
"The releases will be implemented in five phases during a 60-day ceasefire,” the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth said, citing unnamed sources.
If accepted, the Palestinian group Hamas will not hold public ceremonies for the hostage handover, it added.
The proposal also "includes stronger American assurances that if an agreement to end the war is not reached within 60 days, the ceasefire will continue as long as negotiations are serious and ongoing," it said.
According to sources close to the talks, Hamas has responded positively to this condition, viewing it as a guarantee against unilateral Israeli resumption of its assault.
The proposal also includes a clause for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the newspaper said.
“This clause is likely to trigger a debate in Israel, which continues to demand Hamas disarmament, leadership exile, and exclusion from any future governance in the enclave,” it added.
According to the newspaper, indirect negotiations are expected to begin within days in Qatar or Egypt if Hamas accepts the proposal.
US President Donald Trump, who has positioned himself as guarantor of the deal, is expected to personally announce the agreement if finalized.
If approved, an Israeli delegation would head to the Qatari capital, Doha, promptly for intensive negotiations to finalize remaining details.
- Dispute on aid delivery
According to Israeli Channel 12, Hamas is expected to issue its official response to the proposal on Friday.
The broadcaster said the US administration aims for tangible progress, or at least a breakthrough announcement, during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to Washington next week.
Negotiations will also cover the release of Palestinian prisoners, with Hamas expected to demand high-profile names, including some previously rejected by Israel, it added.
A separate dispute remains over the humanitarian aid mechanism. Israel wants to maintain the current delivery system managed by a US firm while Hamas is pushing to return to the previous UN-administered model which allowed 400–600 aid trucks daily.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 640 Palestinians were killed and nearly 4,500 others injured since the Israel-drafted aid mechanisms came into force on May 27.
On Wednesday, Hamas confirmed that it was reviewing proposals submitted by mediators aimed at reaching a deal that includes a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and humanitarian relief for Palestinians.
The Palestinian group has repeatedly stated its readiness to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for an end to Israel’s military campaign and a complete withdrawal from Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has resisted a comprehensive deal, pushing instead for limited arrangements that would allow the war to continue, a position widely seen as an effort to preserve his political survival.
Despite international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a genocidal war on Gaza, killing more than 57,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, since October 2023.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
