Israel has proposed a prolonged truce in Gaza in exchange for the release of about half the remaining hostages, officials said Monday, as the military ordered new evacuations and signaled “intense operations” in the south.
The proposal, which does not finalize an end to the Israel-Hamas war, envisions a ceasefire lasting between 40 and 50 days. During this period, half of the 24 hostages believed to be alive, along with half of the 35 presumed dead, would be released, according to Israeli officials speaking anonymously.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would maintain military pressure on Hamas while continuing negotiations. He reiterated demands for Hamas to disarm—an issue the group has consistently rejected.
Netanyahu also stated that Hamas leaders would be allowed to leave Gaza as part of a broader agreement that includes U.S. proposals for the “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from the enclave.
Evacuation Orders Amid Renewed Military Action
On Monday, the Israeli military ordered residents of areas around Rafah to relocate to Al Mawasi, a coastal zone.
“The IDF is resuming intense operations to dismantle terrorist capabilities in these areas,” the military’s Arabic-language spokesperson announced.
Hamas claimed over the weekend that it had accepted a Qatari- and Egyptian-brokered proposal, which security sources said involved releasing five hostages per week in exchange for a ceasefire.
The Israeli military resumed operations on March 18 after a two-month truce, during which 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals were freed in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Efforts to advance a second phase of the ceasefire agreement, initially backed by the U.S. in January, have stalled. Israel insists that Hamas must be fully dismantled and have no role in Gaza’s governance, while Hamas says it is open to a new Palestinian administration but refuses to disarm.
The war began after Hamas-led gunmen attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. The ensuing Israeli military campaign has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
