Hamas statement said it viewed the proposal ‘in a positive spirit’, as Antony Blinken heads to Israel to discuss truce plan
- Israel confirms deaths of 31 hostages
- Analysis: rumoured split in Hamas leadership
The Reuters report on the draft Hamas ceasefire plan has some more detail on what the organisation is proposing. The plan is in response to a proposal sent last week by Qatari and Egyptian mediators and backed by the US and Israel.
According to the draft document seen by Reuters, the Hamas counterproposal envisions three phases lasting 45 days each. Here are the details of those 45-day phases, according to the news agency:
All Israeli female hostages, males under 19, elderly people and the sick would be released during the first 45-day phase in exchange for the release of Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails.
Remaining male hostages would be released during the second phase.
The bodies and remains of those killed in fighting would be exchanged in the third phase. By the end of the third phase, Hamas would expect the sides to have reached agreement on an end to the war.
Continue reading…