News & Events

Hamas says it has approved a proposal for a ceasefire in the seven-month Gaza war put forward by mediators Qatar and Egypt although Israel says the proposal falls short of its demands.

Western leaders expressed dismay that Israel might press ahead with an invasion of the tiny area despite a last-ditch bid by Hamas to secure a temporary ceasefire.

Al Jazeera obtained a copy of the Gaza ceasefire proposal that Hamas accepted on Monday. The deal, which was put forward by Egypt and Qatar, would come in three stages that would see an initial halt in the fighting, leading to lasting calm and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territory.

In their second day of talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, Hamas negotiators maintained their stance that any truce agreement must end the war, Palestinian officials said.

The Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on the Gaza Strip issued the Riyadh Statement, expressing efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire, release of prisoners/hostages, and an end to war on Gaza and all unlawful and unilateral measures in Palestinian Territories.

The US secretary of state hopes Hamas will accept what he has called Israel’s “extraordinarily generous” offer for a Gaza truce and hostage release deal.

Qatar is reassessing its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, the country’s prime minister has said.

The United States has vetoed a widely supported resolution at the UN Security Council that would have paved the way for the state of Palestine to gain full membership at the United Nations.