Netanyahu accepts US-brokered Gaza ceasefire proposal

Israel has signed off on the latest U.S. ceasefire proposal for Gaza before it was sent to the Palestinian Hamas group, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza put forward by U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, according to the Israeli media.

The plan, presented by Washington as a renewed push to halt hostilities in the besieged Palestinian territory, is also being reviewed by Hamas, which confirmed it had received the draft through mediators.

In a written statement, the Palestinian group said the proposal is currently being examined “responsibly” by its relevant committees. Hamas emphasized that any response will aim to “protect the interests of the Palestinian people in Gaza, facilitate humanitarian aid, and contribute to establishing a permanent ceasefire.”

The group further stated its openness to “any constructive efforts” toward a just and comprehensive resolution in the region.

While no details of the proposal were made public, the initiative is seen as a new step within the broader ceasefire negotiations.

Speaking at an event in the White House on Thursday, Witkoff expressed optimism over the draft. “We are about to send the new framework for a deal. The President will review it today. I have strong hopes that it will lead to a temporary truce and a long-term peaceful solution to this conflict,” he said.

Hamas had earlier acknowledged reaching a general understanding with Witkoff regarding the framework for a Gaza ceasefire.