Hamas 'agrees to ceasefire deal', say officials

Hamas has agreed to a ceasefire deal, in which half the hostages being held in Gaza will be freed in return for Israel releasing some Palestinian prisoners, according to senior diplomats.

Egyptian and Qatari mediators have been holding talks with Hamas in their latest effort to broker a ceasefire with Israel. The agreement appears to be similar to a previous plan put forward by Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, which included a 60-day ceasefire deal.

That plan had previously been accepted by Israel. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim confirmed the proposal on Facebook: "The movement has handed over its approval to the new proposal presented by the mediators." There has been no official response from Israel, although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video: "I, like you, hear the reports in the media, and from them you can get one impression - Hamas is under immense pressure." According to officials briefed on the negotiations, the proposal includes "a path toward a comprehensive agreement to end the war".

The plans include a ceasefire in Gaza, during which Israeli forces would be redeployed and humanitarian aid increased. A number of Palestinian prisoners would also be exchanged for half of the Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.

Israel announced plans to reoccupy Gaza City after ceasefire talks appeared to break down last month. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has led experts to warn that the territory is sliding into famine.

Sky's International Correspondent Diana Magnay in Jerusalem said it is clear that mediators from Egypt and Qatar, potentially along with Hamas, felt under pressure because of Mr Netanyahu's plan to push further into Gaza City, "and that's why you've had mediators over the weekend in Cairo trying to get some kind of plan on the table". "So the big question is, will Benjamin Netanyahu agree to this? We shall have to see whether it is his intention at any point to agree to a ceasefire or whether this is just too late now and he will use the opportunity to push on in Gaza," she added.

Israel's plans to seize control of Gaza City triggered protests from tens of thousands of Israelis on Sunday, some of the largest demonstrations since the war began. Read more from Sky News:Israelis protest against Gaza warIsrael's PM and the propaganda warUN: Reporters must have access Protesters urged a deal to end the fighting and free the remaining 50 hostages held in Gaza since the Hamas attack in October 2023.

Israeli officials believe 20 are alive. Thousands of Palestinians, fearing an imminent Israeli ground offensive, have left their homes in eastern areas of Gaza City, now under constant Israeli bombardment, for points to the west and south in the territory.

The last round of indirect ceasefire talks ended in deadlock in late July, with the sides trading blame for its collapse. Earlier on Monday, Donald Trump appeared to cast doubt on peace talks.

"We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be," he posted on his Truth Social site. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll from 22 months of war has now passed 62,000, although the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and members of Palestinian armed groups..