Israel weighs Hamas offer of 60-day Gaza truce and hostage release - Nation and World News | Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Israel is preparing to launch an expanded military operation in Gaza City, possibly in the coming days, even as negotiators scramble to bring Israel and Hamas to a ceasefire to end 22 months of fighting.

Hamas has accepted the latest proposal for a 60-day ceasefire with Israel that includes the return of half the hostages the group holds in Gaza and Israel's release of some Palestinian prisoners, an Egyptian official source said on Monday.

It was unclear whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was on board with the terms, which came as Qatar and Egypt were intensifying mediation efforts.

Hamas has told Egyptian and Qatari mediators it is willing to accept a ceasefire proposal to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages, said a diplomat briefed on the talks. They said the Palestinian militant group had agreed a deal that would preserve “98 per cent” of a proposal first put forward by US envoy Steve Witkoff in May,