Hamas is leaning toward accepting a US-backed proposal for a two-month ceasefire in Gaza, with a formal response expected within hours, sources from the Palestinian group told Asharq Al-Awsat on Thursday.
The proposed truce, reportedly accepted by Israel earlier this week according to US President Donald Trump, would mark a major breakthrough in efforts to end the months-long war.
Hamas has begun informing mediators that it intends to respond “positively” either late Thursday or early Friday, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
They did not explain the reason for the delay but said “technical arrangements” were still being finalized. One source described the situation as similar to the lead-up to a previous truce agreement reached in January.
“All indicators are positive,” one Hamas source said. “We are closer than ever to a new agreement. The recent movements clearly show we are in the pre-announcement phase.”
On Wednesday, Hamas leadership referred the proposal to other Palestinian factions for consultation, seeking to secure a united stance on any eventual deal.
However, the deliberations were marked by caution, with one source warning of “traps” in the draft proposal and noting that the clause related to a “clear end to the war” remained vague.
A source close to Hamas told Reuters on Thursday that the group was seeking “guarantees that the American proposal will lead to a permanent end to the war,” as Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip continued to kill dozens, according to medics.
Ceasefire negotiations over the war in Gaza have intensified, with the United States and other mediators pushing for a temporary deal that would pave the way for a second phase of talks aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement to end the 20-month-old conflict, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Despite diplomatic momentum, Israeli airstrikes continued across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing more than 100 Palestinians, including dozens waiting for humanitarian aid, according to local health authorities.
The Hamas-run health ministry said at least 118 people were killed in Israeli attacks from dawn until late Thursday, with 581 others wounded.
In a Facebook post, the ministry said hospitals in Gaza had received the bodies of 118 people in the past 24 hours.
The Palestinian civil defense said its crews retrieved 10 bodies and several wounded after an Israeli strike hit the Mustafa Hafez School, which was sheltering displaced people in western Gaza City early Thursday.
