Hamas says it has accepted a proposal from Arab mediators for a ceasefire in the 22-month war sparked by its Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel. Israel has not yet responded and says it is still committed to defeating the militant group.

The ball is now in Israel’s court. We would like a positive response from them as soon as possible," Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told NBC News.

As Israel expands operations in the enclave, Gazans increasingly voice defiance against Hamas, with dissenters risking their lives to demand freedom from the group’s grip.

Hamas said that Israel's plan to relocate residents from Gaza City constitutes a "new wave of genocide and displacement" for hundreds of thousands.

Hamas informed the Egyptian and Qatari mediators that it had agreed to the latest Gaza hostage-ceasefire proposal on Monday. The latest Gaza ceasefire proposal agreed by Hamas is "almost identical" to an earlier plan put forward by US special envoy Steve Witkoff,

RAFAH, Egypt (AP) — Hamas said Monday it has accepted a new proposal from Arab mediators for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that would still need Israel’s approval, as Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll from 22 months of war has passed 62,000.

Many Israelis feel that freeing the hostages cannot happen if the government refuses to come to terms with Hamas and pursues its policy of trying to eliminate the group militarily.