Hamas leaders ‘agree in principle’ to Egyptian proposal to end conflict in besieged enclave

Hamas leaders have accepted in principle proposals to end the war with Israel after talks with Egyptian mediators, sources told The National on Saturday.

Militant leaders have withheld final approval pending Israel’s agreement to a permanent ceasefire after the expiry of a two-month timeline provided by the Egyptian plan.

The talks, which began on Friday, yielded a handful of minor changes to a draft of the proposals seen by The National last Wednesday, the sources said.

The latest draft, which also included input from Qatar and the US, was sent to Israel late on Friday.

It might undergo further changes. If it is accepted, the US, Egypt and Qatar would be the deal’s guarantors.

The proposed deal is likely to have clauses that would not be publicised, including details on Gaza’s future governance and security after the fighting ends, the sources said.

Also likely to remain confidential are security assurances demanded by Israel to ensure it would not suffer a repeat of the October 7 surprise attack by Hamas.

“The Hamas negotiators fear that Israel will resume military operations after the prisoner and hostage swap and want us to press the Israelis to give guarantees it won’t in return for a Hamas pledge not to attack again,” one of the sources said.

“Israel’s ongoing military operations are not giving Hamas much confidence. We feel that Israel might be searching now for a significant battlefield prize, like capturing a senior Hamas leader or a major command centre.”

Hamas’s delegation in Egypt is led by Ismail Haniyeh, the group’s political leader, and also includes Saleh Al Arouri and Ruhi Mushtahy, two confidants of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s leader in Gaza and Israel’s most wanted man.

According to the sources, the proposed agreement is made up of three stages.First, a 20day pause in fighting, during which Hamas would release all women, children, elderly and sick hostages taken from southern Israel on October 7.

In return, Israel would free Palestinian detainees from its jails, with the number to be agreed on later.

During the truce, Israel would halt all aerial activity over Gaza, including drone and reconnaissance flights.

The previous draft stipulated a “humanitarian deal” of 10 days after a two-day truce, during which the warring sides would indirectly negotiate the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.

The second phase would last 10 days, during which the truce would continue. Hamas would release female Israeli soldiers taken hostage, in exchange for more Palestinian detainees. Israel would move its forces away from Gaza’s urban areas and allow substantial humanitarian assistance to enter the coastal enclave.

Gaza’s 2.3 million residents would also be allowed to move freely inside the territory, except for areas where Israeli forces are stationed. The only change from the earlier draft is that this phase would last 10 days rather than seven.

The third phase is a monthlong window to negotiate a final detainee and hostage swap, during which Hamas would free male Israeli soldiers in return more Palestinian detainees, including high-profile figures serving life sentences. Israel would also withdraw its troops from the territory.

Egypt, the US and Qatar previously mediated a week-long truce between Hamas and Israel that ended on December 1. During that truce, a detainee and hostage swap was implemented and more humanitarian aid was allowed into Gaza.

The proposed deal is likely to have clauses that would not be publicised, including details of Gaza’s future governance