Gaza mediators propose 5 to 7 year ceasefire with captive exchange, full Israeli withdrawal

Qatari and Egyptian mediators have presented a new proposal for a five to seven year ceasefire in Gaza, as a Hamas delegation prepares to head to Cairo for further talks.

The new proposal would see Hamas release all remaining Israeli captives in exchange for a number of Palestinian detainees, reports said on Tuesday, citing a senior Palestinian official.

The official was quoted as saying that the new proposal includes a complete withdrawal by Israeli forces from Gaza, adding that Hamas had expressed willingness to hand over control of the coastal enclave to a Palestinian administration agreed upon "at the national and regional levels".

Elsewhere, a Hamas leader confirmed that a delegation had left Doha for Cairo on Tuesday to discuss "new ideas" for a ceasefire. Agence France-Presse quoted the official as saying that that the delegation - which includes senior leader Khalil al-Hayya and other top officials  - "will hold meetings with Egyptian officials on new ideas for reaching a ceasefire".

In a video address last week, al-Hayya said that negotiations on a comprehensive ceasefire package had begun, including a full release of Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, full withdrawal from Gaza by Israel, reconstruction of Gaza, and the lifting of the Israeli blockade.

On Sunday, an Israeli delegation arrived in Cairo for talks with the Egyptian mediation team and the country's General Intelligence Service, an  Egyptian source with knowledge of the matter told The New Arab's Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

The source added that the Israeli delegation has shown particular interest in certain captives held by Hamas, with the trip likely being the result of pressure from Washington over the welfare of captives who hold US citizenship.

In Washington, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is visiting to hold talks on Gaza with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Axios reported on Monday.

The last ceasefire between Israel and Hamas commenced in January and collapsed when Israel blocked humanitarian aid and resumed its full-blown assault on Gaza on 18 March.

Israel's war on Gaza has killed over 61,000 Palestinians since October 2023, according to the Gaza government media office. More than 117,000 others have been wounded by the Israeli onslaught, including thousands of children.