Israel Offers 45-Day Ceasefire in Exchange for Partial Hostage Release

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hamas announced on Monday that Israel has proposed a 45-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of half of the hostages still held by the Palestinian militant group in Gaza. This proposal comes as the United Nations (UN) describes the humanitarian situation in Gaza as the most dire since the beginning of the conflict, citing Israel's blockade of all humanitarian aid, including water and food, which has been in effect since March 2.

According to Al Arabiya, a Hamas official stated that Israel is also demanding the disarmament of the militant group as a precondition for ending the Gaza war, a demand that Hamas has rejected.

The Israeli proposal, presented by Egyptian mediators, "includes the release of half the hostages in the first week of the agreement, an extension of the truce for at least 45 days, and the entry of aid," the Hamas official reported.

Hamas took 251 people hostage during the October 7, 2023, attack that initiated the current conflict. Approximately 58 hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 who, according to the Israeli military, have been killed.

"The proposal includes the disarmament of Hamas and all Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip as a condition for a permanent end to the war," the Hamas official stated.

While Hamas leaders are currently reviewing the ceasefire proposal, the official emphasized that "Hamas and the resistance factions’ position is that the resistance’s weapons are a red line and non-negotiable."

The official added that Hamas negotiators will travel to Qatar, where the group has an office and has previously held significant mediation talks with Israel. As of this report, Israel has not issued an immediate comment on Hamas's statement.

"Hamas informed the mediators that it is willing to agree to any proposal that includes a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the entry of aid," the Hamas official said.

The UN has previously warned that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is spiraling out of control due to the prolonged lack of aid entering the region, leading to a rapidly deteriorating situation.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and French President Emmanuel Macron have both called for an "urgent" ceasefire in Gaza.

During a recent phone call, Macron and Abbas "emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire, the acceleration of humanitarian aid delivery (and) the rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land," according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

President Macron affirmed that "France is fully mobilized" in efforts to secure the release of the hostages and bring an end to the hostilities. He also advocated for "reforms" within the Palestinian Authority as part of the broader strategy to enable the body to govern Gaza in a post-war scenario without Hamas.

Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu indicated that the group is prepared to release all hostages in exchange for a "serious prisoner swap" and a guarantee from Israel that it will permanently end the war.

"The issue is not the number of captives, but rather that the occupation is reneging on its commitments, blocking the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and continuing the war,” Nunu said. Speaking after discussions with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, he reiterated that Hamas will not surrender its weapons.

Israeli news site Ynet reported that under the proposed new ceasefire, Hamas would release 10 living hostages in exchange for a U.S. assurance that Israel will enter negotiations for a second-phase ceasefire.

Critics have accused Israel of carrying out a genocide in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Israel violated a prior ceasefire and resumed attacks on the region on March 18, 2025, and staunchly refuses to withdraw from Gaza, contradicting prior agreements.

Millions of Palestinian civilians have been displaced, and Israel has blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza since March 2, prior to the collapse of the previous ceasefire.

The UN has reported severe shortages of medical supplies, fuel, water, and other essential necessities.

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza is now likely the worst it has been in the 18 months since the outbreak of hostilities," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Monday. 

OCHA also reported that aid workers are being forced to "ration and reduce deliveries to make the most of the remaining stocks."

At Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis, doctor Ahmed al-Farah said the medical team was working tirelessly despite "a shortage in everything."

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