\n<\/p>\n
The Palestinian militant group Hamas says it supports a new ceasefire plan for Gaza that would see five more hostages released to Israel in exchange for a 50-day truce.<\/p>\n
Khalil al-Hayyam, the most senior Hamas leader outside Gaza, said the group had approved the draft deal sent by Egyptian and Qatari mediators.<\/p>\n
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it had also received the plan and submitted a counter-proposal in response.<\/p>\n
If agreed, the new limited ceasefire agreement could coincide with\u00a0the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.<\/p>\n
The discussions come as Israeli forces continue air strikes across Gaza and conduct a ground operation in Rafah after a ceasefire that was agreed in January broke down earlier this month.<\/p>\n
During the first phase of that deal, Hamas released 33 hostages. The group is thought to be still holding 59, although not all are said to be alive.<\/p>\n
Hamas had previously insisted on sticking to the original deal – with negotiations to start on a second phase that would see the release of all the remaining hostages, in return for a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza and an end to the war. But those negotiations never started.<\/p>\n
Israel and the US had instead proposed that the first phase of the ceasefire – which expired a month ago – should be extended, with no clear guarantee that the war would end.<\/p>\n
Israel accused Hamas of rejecting the extension and resumed its military offensive in Gaza on 18 March.<\/p>\n