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Published 15 Mar, 2024 11:44am

Hamas issues ceasefire proposal including prisoners’ exchange deal to mediators

Hamas has presented a Gaza ceasefire proposal to mediators which includes a first stage of releasing Israeli women, children, elderly, and the ill hostages in exchange for the release of 700-1000 Palestinian prisoners, according to a proposal seen by Reuters.

The releases would include 100 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons and the release of Israeli “female recruits.”

Hamas said it would agree on a date for a permanent ceasefire after the initial exchange of hostages and prisoners, according to the proposal.

A deadline for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would be agreed upon after the first stage, Hamas said in its proposal.

The Hamas said all detainees from both sides would be released in a second stage of the plan.

Meanwhile, at least 29 Palestinians were killed while awaiting aid in two separate Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, Gaza’s health ministry said.

Read: Aid ship leaves Cyprus bound for Gaza as Palestinians on brink of famine

In the first incident, Palestinian health officials in the Hamas-ruled strip said eight people were killed in an airstrike on an aid distribution center in Al-Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Later, at least 21 people were killed and more than 150 wounded by Israeli gunfire at a crowd awaiting aid trucks at a northern Gaza roundabout, Gaza’s health ministry said.

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