Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire and hostage-release proposal mediated by Egypt and Qatar, officials from the Palestinian group and an Egyptian source said on 18 August. The written response, conveyed in Cairo, was forwarded to Israel, which has not yet issued an official reply. According to details provided by Reuters, AFP and Axios, the framework envisages a 60-day suspension of Israeli military operations, the release of half the hostages held in Gaza—starting with 10 living captives and the remains of 18 others—and a phased liberation of Palestinian prisoners. A diplomatic source said Hamas’s response is 98 percent identical to the Witkoff plan previously accepted by Israel, and the text was approved without amendments. The breakthrough follows weeks of intensified mediation as Israel prepares a potential ground push into Gaza City and faces domestic protests demanding a deal. Nearly 23 months of war have left about 1,200 people dead in Israel during the 7 October 2023 attack and more than 62,000 Palestinians dead in Gaza, according to local health officials cited by the United Nations. Mediators hope the provisional truce will open negotiations on a comprehensive settlement.