Hamas said it had submitted its response to the proposed Gaza ceasefire to mediators, with a senior group official telling the BBC it still needed an Israeli commitment to a permanent ceasefire.
In a statement, the group and its Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ) allies said they were “ready to reach a deal positively.”
The proposed ceasefire plan, approved by the U.N. Security Council on Monday night, calls for a six-week ceasefire that would eventually become permanent.
Qatar and Egypt, which together with the United States mediated the negotiations between Israel and Hamas, confirmed that the Palestinian group had submitted a response.
In a statement Tuesday evening, Hamas called for a “complete cessation” of fighting in Gaza.
“This response emphasizes that the interests of the Palestinian people must be prioritized and that the ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip must cease once and for all,” Hamas and PIJ said.
The two groups “stand ready to engage actively to reach an agreement that ends this war,” he added.
Qatar and Egypt said they would review their response and “coordinate with relevant parties on next steps.”
Earlier in the day, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “reaffirmed his commitment” to the Gaza ceasefire plan. The world was waiting for Hamas’ response.
A proposal put forward by President Biden last month includes an initial six-week ceasefire in which Hamas would release some hostages in exchange for Israel releasing an undefined number of Palestinian prisoners.
The second step would see Hamas release its remaining hostages and completely withdraw Israeli forces from Gaza as part of a “permanent” ceasefire, although the latter would remain subject to negotiation.
Israel’s actual proposal, which is said to be longer than the summary provided by Biden, has not been made public, and it is unclear whether it differs from what the president conveyed in his May 31 statement. It was submitted to Hamas a few days before Biden’s speech.
Netanyahu acknowledged that his war cabinet had approved the plan, but did not express clear support for it. Far-right ultranationalists in his cabinet have threatened to leave his coalition and trigger its collapse if the deal goes ahead, which they see as surrendering to Hamas.
When Mr. Blinken met Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, protesters outside his hotel held American flags demanding an agreement. Many held photos of the hostages and chanted “SOS, USA” and “We trust you, Blinken, make a deal.”
Vicki Cohen, the mother of Nimrod Cohen, 19, an Israeli soldier who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, was holding a banner with her photo.
She told the BBC: “We are asking Blinken and the U.S. government to help us and save us from the government. Our prime minister does not want to bring our loved ones back and we need their help to put pressure on the government.”
He then traveled to the Dead Sea for a meeting of Arab leaders demanding more support for Gaza, where he said Israel “could do more.” He also announced $404 million in new aid for the Palestinian people, urging other countries to “step up” their support as well.
The war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages to the Gaza Strip. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry later said that more than 37,000 people had been killed in Israeli airstrikes.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.