Israeli officials revealed on Monday that the occupying regime has proposed a long-term truce in Gaza lasting up to 50 days, in exchange for the release of a large number of Israeli captives believed to still be alive.
Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, the officials stated that the proposed ceasefire would last between 40 and 50 days, and would include the release of approximately half of the remaining captives believed to be held by the Palestinian resistance.
According to the officials, the deal would involve the return of around 12 living captives and the remains of about 17 individuals presumed dead, to be handed over during the proposed 40–50-day truce period.
Netanyahu Threatens More Aggression Amid Negotiations
Despite pushing the truce proposal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened on Sunday to escalate military pressure on Gaza. He claimed that increasing military aggression is the most effective way to secure the captives’ return.
Netanyahu once again repeated demands for the disarmament of Hamas, ignoring the movement’s firm and repeated stance that “resistance weapons are a red line” and non-negotiable.
In a statement echoing previous settler-colonial strategies, Netanyahu added that under a broader deal, Hamas leaders would be allowed to leave Gaza, while invoking Donald Trump’s “voluntary migration” proposal — a euphemism for ethnic cleansing by displacement.
Hamas’ Position: Upholding the Resistance Line
While Hamas has not yet commented directly on this new Israeli proposal, the movement announced earlier this week that it accepted ceasefire proposals from Egypt and Qatar, both of whom are mediating negotiations.
According to security sources, these mediator-backed proposals involve a gradual exchange of captives, with five Israelis released per week in return for a truce.
However, the Israeli military resumed its aggression on March 18, cutting off humanitarian aid and bombing Gaza after a two-month ceasefire, during which 33 Israeli and five Thai captives were released in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
A One-Sided Agreement: Israel Stalls Phase Two
Efforts to launch the second phase of the previous ceasefire agreement, which started on January 19, 2025, have largely stalled. While Hamas fully complied with the first-phase terms, Netanyahu’s government reneged on further commitments, instead choosing to resume the war under pressure from far-right factions in his ruling coalition, according to Israeli media reports.
Since the resumption of the Israeli offensive, the death toll has continued to rise. Civilian infrastructure remains targeted, and Gaza’s population continues to suffer under blockade, starvation, and ongoing bombardment.
A Truce or a Trap?
Observers note that Netanyahu’s truce offer is not a gesture of peace, but a strategic pause to extract captives while continuing to push Trump’s displacement plan—which envisions clearing Gaza of its people and resistance forces.
The plan, long rejected by Palestinians and many Arab and Muslim nations, proposes relocating Gaza’s population to neighbouring countries like Egypt or Jordan, both of which have firmly opposed any attempt at forced transfer.
Such proposals amount to weaponising ceasefires to enable further ethnic cleansing and undermine Palestinian sovereignty—all while the occupying regime faces growing international scrutiny and a leadership wanted for war crimes.
