Gaza: Hamas has expressed a positive stance toward any Gaza ceasefire proposal that ensures a lasting truce and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the region.
In a statement on Saturday, Hamas emphasised that such a proposal must address the suffering of the Palestinian people and include a significant prisoner exchange agreement, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
A Hamas delegation travelled to Cairo on Saturday at Egypt's invitation. During their visit, they are expected to engage with mediators from Egypt and Qatar in ongoing efforts to reach an agreement and put an end to Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Since Israel resumed intensive strikes across the Gaza Strip on March 18, at least 1,563 Palestinians have been killed and 4,004 others injured, according to Gaza-based health authorities.
Hamas also mentioned in a press statement that the release of Israeli hostages is conditional upon a cessation of the Israeli "hostilities" in the Gaza Strip.
"The equation is clear: the release of hostages in exchange for a cessation of hostilities. The world accepts it, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects it," Hamas said, adding Netanyahu is prolonging the conflict and the suffering of both "Israeli captives and Palestinian civilians".
On Friday, two Egyptian sources revealed that Israel and Egypt had exchanged draft proposals aimed at reaching a ceasefire and hostage release agreement.
The sources indicated that efforts were underway to reconcile Egypt's proposal with a separate plan presented by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, in hopes of establishing a unified framework for an agreement.
Egypt's proposal reportedly includes the release of five to eight living hostages and several bodies in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Additionally, it calls for the opening of the Rafah border crossing, the facilitation of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the region.
The number of released hostages and detainees was a controversial issue in the discussion with the Israeli side, the sources said, adding that Egyptian and Qatari mediators had forwarded the Egyptian proposal to Hamas, which responded with approval.
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel will soon expand its operations to most of the Gaza Strip territory, adding, "This is the last moment to remove Hamas, release all the Israeli hostages, and bring an end to the war."
Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces announced in a statement that it had fully encircled southern Gaza's Rafah city by completing the establishment of the "Morag Corridor", a route in the south of the strip intended to separate Rafah and Khan Younis.
Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza since March 2. It then ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on the enclave.
(inputs from IANS)