The Palestinian Hamas movement has put forward a counterproposal on a cease-fire plan in the Gaza Strip that would see a 135-day pause in the fighting during which the remaining hostages captured during its assault on Israel in October would be released.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating talks between Israel and Hamas, drafted a new proposal last month that would involve a pause in fighting for several weeks and the release of all hostages.
The ongoing war in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 27,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 67,000 others. The Israeli military launched its offensive in response to Hamas’ cross-border assault Oct. 7, during which militants killed nearly 1,200 people and took more than 240 others hostage.
During a brief seven-day truce in late November, Hamas released a total of 110 hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails were freed.
