Doha: Qatar has submitted a proposal to Israel that includes a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza along with a prisoner exchange agreement, according to Israeli media reports on Tuesday. The public broadcaster KAN, citing two unnamed diplomatic sources, stated that the proposal involves the release of eight Israeli hostages on the first day of the truce and two more hostages on the 50th day.
According to Anadolu Agency, the plan also includes the return of the remains of 18 Israeli hostages in three separate batches, though the timeline for this handover was not specified. There was no immediate comment from Qatari authorities regarding the report.
The proposed framework is said to resemble an earlier plan advanced by US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff. KAN also noted that sources familiar with the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas highlighted key disagreements, particularly concerning the conditions to end the war and the extent of Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching a Gaza deal in the coming days, stating, "We hope [a ceasefire] is going to happen and we're looking for it to happen sometime next week." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is anticipated to visit Washington next week to meet with Trump.
Critics in Israel, including the opposition and families of the hostages, have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war to satisfy hardline factions in his coalition and maintain his grip on power. Meanwhile, Hamas has signaled its willingness to release all Israeli captives in exchange for an end to the war, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners. However, Netanyahu has rejected these conditions, insisting on additional demands such as disarming Palestinian resistance factions.
Israel estimates that roughly 50 hostages remain held in Gaza, about 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Moreover, over 10,400 Palestinians are currently imprisoned in Israel, facing conditions described as torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which have led to multiple deaths, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups and media outlets.
Despite international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has continued its deadly onslaught on Gaza, resulting in more than 56,600 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, since October 2023. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.