Hamas has agreed to a proposed 60-day ceasefire with Israel, this according to an Egyptian official source cited by Reuters on August 18. The deal includes the release of half the hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Israel freeing some Palestinian prisoners.
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim confirmed the group’s approval on Facebook, adding that other Palestinian factions had also indicated their consent. Israel has not yet responded to the proposal, though an Israeli official confirmed it was received.
The talks were mediated in Cairo by Egypt and Qatar with US support. Mediators hope the framework could pave the way for a broader agreement to end the conflict of nearly two years.
Despite the breakthrough, key differences remain. Israel has previously demanded that Hamas release all hostages and disarm, conditions the group has publicly rejected unless a sovereign Palestinian state is established.
Recently, there have been numerous efforts to broker a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. But what does that really mean? Also known as a truce or armistice, a "ceasefire" refers to a temporary halt in hostilities, during which each side negotiates terms to pause the conflict and take steps to de-escalate tensions.
Click through for a better understanding.