Gaza city: The Palestinian group Hamas announced Saturday a 'national consensus' regarding its response to the recent proposal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange with Israel.

According to Anadolu Agency, Hamas stated that it had provided a 'positive' response to the ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. Hussam Badran, head of Hamas' National Relations Office, highlighted extensive consultations with Palestinian faction leaders to coordinate their response to the proposed ceasefire framework.

Badran emphasized that the discussions involved practical and serious consultations between Hamas and other national and Islamic factions. This collaboration resulted in a unified national consensus supporting the stance of the Palestinian resistance forces. He further noted that all Palestinian factions have welcomed this unified response, formulated unanimously and in a positive spirit.

The efforts, as Badran explained, aim to preserve the achievements of the Palestinian people and ensure a unified position to halt the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel's Security Cabinet is set to convene at 10 pm local time on Saturday to deliberate on Hamas' response to the ceasefire proposal and the future direction of the Gaza conflict.

Tel Aviv estimates that around 50 hostages are currently held in Gaza, including 20 living captives. Concurrently, over 10,400 Palestinians are reported to be detained in Israeli prisons, allegedly facing conditions of torture, starvation, and medical neglect, leading to numerous deaths as per reports from Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations.

Despite international appeals for a ceasefire, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 57,300 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, since October 2023. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice concerning its actions in the enclave.