Hamas appears to be paving the way for a possible ceasefire with Israel after reportedly dropping key demands

There is new hope for a Ceasefire agreement in the Middle East after Hamas responded to a US-backed proposal for a phased agreement in the Gaza Strip.

The militant group – which controlled Gaza before sparking the war with an attack on Israel on Oct. 7 – reportedly initially agreed to the ceasefire deal after dropping a key demand that Israel commit in advance to a full end to the war, a Hamas and Egyptian official told The Associated Press on Saturday.

A senior US official said Hamas’ response to the proposal “could form the basis for concluding the agreement.”

The apparent compromise could mark the first pause in fighting since November and pave the way for further talks on ending the devastating nine months of fighting, but all sides warned that a deal was still not guaranteed.

The two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations, told the Associated Press that Washington’s phased agreement will first include a “complete and comprehensive” six-week ceasefire that will see the release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. During the 42 days, Israeli forces will withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza and allow the displaced to return to their homes in northern Gaza, the officials said.

During that period, Hamas, Israel and mediators would negotiate the terms of the second phase, which could include the release of the remaining male hostages, both civilians and soldiers, the officials said. In return, Israel would release more Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The third phase would see the return of all remaining hostages, including the bodies of dead prisoners, and the start of a multi-year reconstruction project.

Hamas still wants “written guarantees” from the mediators that Israel will continue negotiations on a permanent ceasefire once the first phase comes into force, the officials said.

The Hamas official told the Associated Press that the group gave its consent after receiving “verbal commitments and guarantees” from mediators that the war would not resume and that negotiations would continue until a permanent ceasefire was reached.

“Now we want these guarantees on paper,” he said.

In line with previous proposals, the agreement would result in around 600 trucks of humanitarian aid being delivered to Gaza every day – including 50 tankers – half of which would be destined for the hard-hit north of the enclave, the two officials said. Aid deliveries to Gaza have been reduced to a minimum following the Israeli attack on the southernmost city of Rafah.

Israel began the war in Gaza after the Hamas attack in October, in which militants entered southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people – most of them civilians – and abducting about 250. According to Israel, Hamas is still holding about 120 hostages – about a third of whom are now presumed dead.

Since then, the Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza has killed more than 38,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. The offensive has caused widespread devastation and a humanitarian crisis that has pushed hundreds of thousands of people to the brink of starvation, international authorities say.

Months of on-again, off-again ceasefire talks have foundered over Hamas’s demand that any agreement must include a full end to the war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered to pause the fighting but not end it until Israel achieves its goals of destroying Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities and releasing all hostages held by the militant group.

Netanyahu’s office did not respond to requests for comment and there was no immediate comment from Washington.

CBS News previously reported that an Israeli delegation led by Mossad director David Barnea travelled to Qatar for talks. Sources told CBS News that Barnea would meet with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for talks.

On Friday, the Israeli prime minister confirmed that the head of the intelligence service had paid a lightning visit to Qatar, a key mediator, but his office said there remained a “rift between the parties”.

President Biden held a 30-minute phone call with Netanyahu on Thursday, during which the two leaders reviewed the latest draft of the proposal, a senior Biden administration official told reporters.

US officials have said the latest proposal includes new wording proposed to Egypt and Qatar on Saturday and refers to indirect negotiations to begin during the first phase of the three-phase agreement that Mr Biden explained in a speech on May 31st.

Hamas has expressed concern that Israel could resume the war after the hostages are released. Israeli officials have said they are worried that Hamas will delay talks and the initial ceasefire indefinitely without releasing all the hostages.

Netanyahu is under pressure from Israel’s closest ally – the United States – to negotiate a ceasefire. Domestically, however, two far-right members of his cabinet have threatened to topple the ruling coalition if he agrees to a ceasefire.

Israeli bombings continue

The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said four police officers were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Rafah on Saturday, the AP reported. The ministry, which oversees the civilian police, said the officers were killed while on foot patrols to secure properties. Eight other police officers were injured. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to questions.

Prayers were held in Deir al-Balah for 12 Palestinians, including five children and two women, killed in three separate attacks in central Gaza on Friday and Saturday, hospital officials said. The bodies were taken to al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, where AP journalists counted them.

Two of those killed in an attack on the Mughazi refugee camp on Friday were staff members of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, the agency’s communications director told AP. Juliette Touma said a total of 194 agency staff members have been killed since October.

Earlier this week Israeli evacuation order In the southern city of Khan Younis and the surrounding areas, around 250,000 Palestinians were affected. Many went to an Israeli-declared “safety zone” around the coastal region of Muwasi or Deir al-Balah.

Over the past two weeks, ground fighting has raged in the Gaza neighborhood of Shijaiyah, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. Many have sought shelter in the Yarmouk Sports Stadium, one of the largest football stadiums in the Gaza Strip.