The United States and the United Kingdom have called on Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal put forward by Israel to end the Gaza war. The proposal includes a 40-day ceasefire and the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of some Israeli hostages.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron referred to the proposal as “generous” and said that it would not end the war until all the captives are released. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed his hopes that Hamas would accept the proposal and make the right decision quickly.
The proposal comes after months of mediation by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to bring an end to the hostilities. A senior Hamas delegation led by the deputy head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Khalil al-Hayya, is travelling to Egypt for the latest round of negotiations, where they are expected to deliver the group’s response to the proposal.
However, hardline Israeli ministers have warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his government will collapse if a truce is agreed with Hamas in exchange for captives. The Israelis have a delegation ready to go to Cairo, but this will depend on the response from Hamas to Israel’s ceasefire proposal.
The Gaza war has caused immense destruction and driven around 80 per cent of the territory’s population of 2.3 million people from their homes. At least 34,488 people have been killed and 77,643 others wounded in the Israeli assault on Gaza since October 7, according to Palestinian authorities in the besieged territory.
