Israel accepts US ceasefire proposal: White House

Israel has accepted a ceasefire proposal from U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“Israel signed off on this proposal before it was sent to Hamas,” Leavitt said, The Hill news outlet reported. “I can also confirm that those discussions are continuing, and we hope that a ceasefire in Gaza will take place so we can return all the hostages home.”

An Israeli official told CNN that the proposal includes the release of 10 living hostages and 18 deceased hostages, in addition to a 60-day ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the hostages' families earlier on Thursday that he had accepted Witkoff’s proposal, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Hamas said Thursday that it “was reviewing the new Witkoff proposal” and was “responsibly studying it in a way that serves the interests of our people, provides relief, and achieves a permanent ceasefire.”