Today’s news / Israel Offers Long Truce for Hostage Release

Israel Offers Long Truce for Hostage Release

Israel proposes a ceasefire up to two months to Hamas in exchange for all hostages’ release, as per Israeli officials via Axios. The truce offer, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, would sequentially free female hostages, then males needing medical aid, older men, and younger civilian men. The last stage would return the bodies of dead hostages. Israel’s proposal marks the longest since the conflict with Hamas began about three and a half months ago. Israel and Hamas had reached a deal in November leading to the release of around 110 hostages. Over 130 hostages still remain captive in Gaza, and there’s cautious optimism for progress, though Israel refuses to end the conflict or release all Palestinian prisoners. Since the war started, over 25,000 have died in Gaza, mostly women and children.