Qatar says Gaza ceasefire proposal agreed to by Hamas 'almost identical' to Witkoff plan
"We received the response, as we said, from Hamas. It was a very positive response," Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said. "However, we are still, of course, awaiting the Israeli side's response to this proposal."
He added that while there was no timeframe for a response, Israel was looking into the matter and "we hope for a quick and positive response".
The proposal includes a temporary, 60-day ceasefire and a path to a comprehensive agreement to end the war, Mr Al Ansari said.
Some hostages will be released in exchange for Palestinian detainees during the truce, he said.
Israel's redeployment within the framework of this agreement will be accompanied by a vast amounts of aid entering the strip, he added.
"We are now at a critical humanitarian moment," Mr Al Ansari said. "If we do not reach an agreement now, we are facing a humanitarian catastrophe."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment publicly on the proposal but said last week his country would accept "an agreement in which all the hostages are released at once and according to our conditions for ending the war".
Hamas's acceptance of the proposal comes as Mr Netanyahu faces increasing pressure at home and abroad to end the war in Gaza.
Sources told The National on Monday that Hamas agreed to the Egyptian-Qatari proposal for a 60-day Gaza truce and the initial release of 10 Israeli hostages.
Hamas also agreed to hand over the remains of 18 hostages who have died while in captivity, the sources added.
The group has agreed to lay down and store its weapons under international supervision. It has also agreed to the deployment of an Arab force in Gaza under UN supervision to maintain security.
Israel had previously agreed to the outline, advanced by Mr Witkoff, but talks faltered over some of its details.
The sources said Hamas told Qatari and Egyptian mediators that it has dropped its condition for a written US guarantee that negotiations with Israel on a complete withdrawal from Gaza and for the ceasefire to continue until an agreement is reached.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 2023 attack that triggered the war, 49 are still in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
The latest proposal also comes after Israel's security cabinet approved plans for its military to take control of Gaza city and nearby refugee camps, fanning fears the new offensive will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the devastated territory.
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is staunchly opposed to ending the war, rejected the new ceasefire initiative, warning of a "tragedy" if Mr Netanyahu "gives in to Hamas".
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