Hamas’ changes to Gaza ceasefire proposal ‘unacceptable’: Netanyahu’s office

“The changes that Hamas is seeking to make in the Qatari proposal were conveyed to us last night and are unacceptable to Israel,” Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

“In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages – on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to – be continued,” it said.

The statement added that the negotiation team will leave Sunday for Qatar to hold talks.

Hamas said late Friday it submitted its response to mediators regarding the proposal after completing internal consultations with Palestinian factions and forces.

The Palestinian resistance group described the response to the proposal as “positive” and confirmed its “serious readiness to immediately enter a round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing” the proposal.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 50 hostages, 20 of whom are held captive in Gaza. More than 10,400 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, subjected to torture, starvation and medical neglect, which has resulted in many deaths, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

Despite international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a genocidal war on Gaza, killing more than 57,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.