Israel-Gaza war: Hamas responds to ceasefire offer with 135-day truce plan

Hamas has laid out a series of demands, including exchanging hostages for Palestinian prisoners and rebuilding Gaza, in response to an Israel-backed ceasefire proposal. The armed group wants a full withdrawal of Israeli forces and an end to the war after three 45-day truce periods.

The offer is likely to be unacceptable to Israel’s prime minister, who has called for “total victory” in Gaza. The question is whether a middle ground can be reached to move the process on. Hamas’s response is a counteroffer to a ceasefire proposal backed by Israel and the US and mediated by Qatar and Egypt – details of which have not been made public.