DE News Desk :
Hamas has expressed openness to a potential agreement to end the ongoing war in Gaza, which would include a five-year truce and the release of all hostages, according to a Hamas official on Saturday, ahead of talks with mediators in Cairo.
A delegation from Hamas is currently in Egypt to engage in discussions with Egyptian mediators aimed at finding a resolution to the 18-month conflict.
The talks come as rescuers on the ground reported that an Israeli airstrike on a family home in Gaza City killed at least 10 people, with fears that many more may be trapped under the rubble.
A Hamas official confirmed that the group was “ready for an exchange of prisoners in a single batch and a truce for five years.”
This proposal comes as part of ongoing ceasefire negotiations, following an Israeli offer earlier this month that Hamas rejected as “partial.”
The Israeli proposal had suggested a 45-day ceasefire in exchange for the return of 10 living hostages, but Hamas insisted on a more comprehensive deal that would end the war and ensure a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, alongside the introduction of humanitarian aid into the besieged region.
Hamas has also been adamant that any truce must involve the release of all hostages captured during its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
The group has firmly rejected Israeli demands for its disarmament, calling it a “red line.”
As talks continue, Israel insists on the return of all hostages taken during the October attack, which also marked the beginning of the war.
In total, the Hamas-led assault on that day resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, while militants abducted 251 people.
According to the Israeli military, 58 of the abductees remain held in Gaza, and 34 are believed to be dead.Meanwhile, in Gaza City’s northern sector, an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Khour family home killed 10 people, and civil defense officials estimate that 20 more remain trapped in the debris.
Umm Walid al-Khour, who survived the attack, described the horrifying scene: “Everyone was sleeping with their children when the strike hit. The house collapsed on top of us. Those who survived cried for help, but nobody came… Most of the deceased were children.”
In addition, three people were killed in Israeli shelling of a house in the Al-Shati refugee camp. The ongoing bombardments across the Gaza Strip have claimed four more lives.
Despite the escalation, Israel has yet to comment on the latest developments.
In earlier truce efforts, brokered by Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt, a ceasefire had been implemented on January 19, 2025, facilitating the exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, while also allowing a surge in humanitarian aid.
However, the truce collapsed due to disagreements on the terms of the next phase, with Israel resuming airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza on March 18, 2025.
As of now, the Health Ministry in Gaza has reported that at least 51,495 Palestinians have lost their lives since the beginning of the war.
The latest airstrikes have further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, with the World Food Programme warning that Gaza is running out of food supplies.
Additionally, the World Health Organization has reported shortages of medical supplies, with 16 WHO trucks still waiting to enter Gaza.
Despite these warnings, Israel continues to block the entry of aid, maintaining that the restrictions are intended to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.