Egypt, one of the mediators in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, has received positive indications from Israel over a new ceasefire proposal that would include a transitional phase, security sources told Reuters on Thursday.
On Thursday, a security delegation from Egypt headed to Qatar for talks on releasing hostages, admitting humanitarian aid into the strip, and moving towards a second phase of a ceasefire, state-affiliated Egypt's Al Qahera news TV reported.
Egypt floated a new proposal on Monday aimed at restoring the Gaza ceasefire deal, security sources told Reuters.
This follows the IDF's return to fighting in Gaza at the start of last week, with Palestinians in Gaza beginning to protest Hamas as their ruling power, after a period of relative calm.
The Egyptian plan calls for Hamas to release five Israeli hostages each week, with Israel implementing the second phase of the ceasefire after the first week, two security sources said.
Both the US and Hamas agreed to the proposal, the security sources said, but Israel had not yet responded, the Jerusalem Post previously reported.
Halting humanitarian aid
In early March, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) announced that Israel had halted the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, shortly after the expiration of the hostage-ceasefire deal and Hamas's rejection of any further agreements.
"With the completion of the first phase of the hostage deal and in light of Hamas's refusal to accept the Witkoff framework for continuing negotiations — which Israel had agreed to — Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that, as of this morning, the entry of all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip will be halted," the PMO statement read.
"Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages," the statement continued, warning of consequences if Hamas continued in its refusal.
Following the PMO's announcement, a US National Security Council spokesperson told the Post that Hamas showed no interest in a negotiated ceasefire and confirmed that Israel had "negotiated in good faith."