GAZA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM/AMMAN/JAKARTA - An anonymous Israeli official told Xinhua on Monday that Israel has received Hamas' response to a Gaza ceasefire proposal, which includes provisions on the release of hostages, but a formal reply to the response has not yet been issued.
Hamas movement and other Palestinian factions have announced their agreement to the Gaza ceasefire proposal presented by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, according to a Hamas statement on Monday.
A Hamas source revealed that Cairo and Doha will contact US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to advance the negotiation process with Israel, with the aim of reaching a final agreement.
According to Palestinian sources, the proposal stipulates a prisoner exchange deal that includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of 140 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 60 others serving sentences of more than 15 years.
The proposal also includes the entry of urgent humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip immediately after the agreement enters into force, including fuel, water, and electricity, as well as the rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and the provision of rescue teams with the necessary equipment to remove rubble.
The United Nations and its agencies, along with the Red Crescent and international organizations operating in the Gaza Strip, will be responsible for aid distribution.
Meanwhile, Egyptian sources confirmed to Egypt's Al Qahera News TV channel that the proposal includes a temporary halt to military operations and the redeployment of Israeli forces to facilitate the entry of aid sufficient to meet the Gaza Strip's needs.
During the pause, a prisoner exchange is set to take place, involving the release of 10 living Israeli detainees and 18 bodies -- half of the 36 bodies held by Hamas -- in return for a number of Palestinian prisoners.
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According to the Egyptian sources, discussions on a comprehensive agreement or permanent ceasefire will begin immediately once the truce takes effect.
Following Hamas' agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas is "under immense pressure" to accept Israel's terms for a ceasefire-for-hostage agreement.
In a video statement, Netanyahu also said he discussed with Defense Minister Israel Katz and military chief Eyal Zamir his cabinet's plan to "conquer" Gaza City and push hundreds of thousands of Palestinians further south.
He did not say when the new offensive, which has drawn international criticism for its expected toll on the already devastated enclave, would begin.
Mediators have sought to revive talks on a truce in the offensive, which has created a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The last ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, part of a phased agreement that included the release of hostages, was ended by Israel in March.
Israel's offensive and blockade of Gaza have left much of the territory in ruins and created famine conditions. At least 62,004 people have been killed since the war began in October 2023, according to Gaza's health authorities.
Deaths from starvation are rising daily, health officials said. As of Monday, at least 263 people -- including 112 children -- have died of hunger in Gaza.
Death toll
Gaza-based health authorities announced on Monday that the death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the coastal enclave since Oct. 7, 2023, has risen to more than 62,000, amid worsening humanitarian and health conditions.
In a press statement, the health authorities reported that 60 people were killed and 344 others injured over the past 24 hours. It added that many victims remain trapped under the rubble, as ambulance and civil defense crews face difficulties reaching them due to continued bombardment and limited resources.
The health authorities noted that among the casualties, 27 people were killed and 281 others injured while trying to obtain humanitarian aid.
According to the statement, the total number of deaths since the onset of the conflict has reached 62,004, with 156,230 individuals injured.
Meanwhile, five people, including two children, died in past 24 hours as a result of starvation and malnutrition, raising the total number of such deaths to 263, including 112 children, since October 2023.
The health authorities stressed that hospitals in Gaza are operating under extremely difficult conditions due to shortages of fuel, medicines, and medical supplies, warning that the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation could lead to further civilian deaths.
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Also on Monday, Jordan's King Abdullah II called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid during a meeting with a visiting U.S. congressional delegation, the Royal Hashemite Court said in a statement.
During the meeting, the king reiterated Jordan's rejection of Israeli plans to consolidate its "occupation" of Gaza and expand military control there, warning that such "unilateral measures" pose risks to regional stability.
He also dismissed Israeli statements on the so-called "Greater Israel" vision and condemned settlement expansion in the West Bank, which he said violates international law and undermines Palestinians' right to establish an independent state.
The talks also touched on regional developments, with the king stressing the need to support Syria's security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, Indonesia has delivered 800 tons of aid, including food, medicine, and clothing, to the Gaza Strip, underscoring its commitment to international humanitarian solidarity, a military officer said Monday.
Frega Wenas Inkiriwang, head of the Defense Information Bureau of the Secretariat General at the Ministry of Defense, said the Indonesian military's Garuda Merah Putih II task force conducted an airdrop on Sunday, delivering supplies to Gaza residents using two C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
He said that the aid was dropped at 10 locations.
Indonesia had earlier decided to send 10,000 tons of rice to Palestine and planned to provide medical treatment for 2,000 war victims from Gaza on Galang Island in Riau Islands province.
