Report: Egypt and Qatar push bold 7-year truce in new ceasefire proposal 

Mediators from Egypt and Qatar have put forward a new ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the ongoing war in Gaza and securing the release of hostages, according to a report by the BBC citing a senior Palestinian Arab official involved in the talks. The proposed agreement reportedly includes a ceasefire lasting between five to seven years, the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, a formal end to the conflict, and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

In a significant development, the official stated that Hamas has expressed willingness to relinquish control over Gaza to any Palestinian governing body that is mutually agreed upon at both the national and regional levels. This could involve the Palestinian Authority, which is based in Judea and Samaria, or potentially a newly established administrative entity.

Describing the current mediation efforts as “serious,” the source noted that Hamas has demonstrated “unprecedented flexibility” in negotiations. This marks a notable shift following Hamas’s recent rejection of an Israeli offer that included a six-week truce in return for the group’s disarmament.

Khalil al-Hayya, the Hamas official leading the negotiation efforts, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conditions for a deal. Al-Hayya claimed that the Israeli demands were deliberately structured to prevent an end to the war or a full withdrawal from Gaza, accusing the Israeli government of breaching previous terms.

In a televised address, Prime Minister Netanyahu pushed back against Hamas's terms, warning that accepting them would undermine Israel’s military achievements. “If we give in to Hamas’ dictates now, all of our enormous achievements that we have achieved thanks to our soldiers, our fallen, and our injured – all of those achievements will be lost,” Netanyahu said. He emphasized that a commitment not to resume fighting would effectively prevent any future military action in Gaza.

Netanyahu concluded by reaffirming his determination to secure the return of the Israeli hostages, but not at the cost of submitting to Hamas’s conditions. “I am working to bring back our hostages without bowing to Hamas’ dictates,” he stated.