Last-ditch efforts for Gaza ceasefire underway

Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have submitted a revised version of Washington’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff's proposal to Hamas, describing it as a final opportunity to reach a ceasefire, according to sources privy to the development.

The group has been given 48 hours to respond.

According to sources who spoke to TRT World, the key terms include the release of ten Israeli hostages, five on the first day and five on the final day of the agreement.

The proposal includes full entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, with up to 1,000 trucks allowed daily and a 70-day halt in fighting.

It also includes the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the eastern, northern, and southern borders of Gaza by the fifth day of the truce.

According to sources, a US commitment to lead serious negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire and a guarantee that fighting will not resume even if talks stall during the truce period is included in the deal.

Mediators have made it clear this is a final push to secure a deal, and all eyes are now on Hamas for a response.

Israel has rejected international calls for a ceasefire and has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 53,900 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

In February, Witkoff put forward a proposal to extend the ceasefire in Gaza by 50 days.

Under the plan, Hamas had to release around five living hostages as well as the bodies of dead hostages. In exchange, Israel had to allow a 50-day ceasefire, starting from March 1.

However, Israel rejected calls for a ceasefire and pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza, killing thousands of Palestinians, most of them women and children.

The UN and rights groups have condemned Tel Aviv’s actions as illegal and against international law and accused it of weaponising aid.

Israel continues its systematic starvation of 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza by sealing off crossings and blocking aid stockpiled at the borders since March 2, pushing the territory closer to famine and causing numerous deaths.

It has intensified its genocide in Gaza, with the announcement of a ground operation in the northern and southern parts of the enclave.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

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Source: TRT