Israel Agrees to Ceasefire Proposal, Hamas Takes Issue With ‘New Conditions’

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to a “bridging proposal” for reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

The Details: This marks the first time Netanyahu has agreed to a ceasefire proposal publicly. Hamas and Israel have seen the agreement, though its contents have not been published. According to The Telegraph (Lean Right bias), the proposal “includes conditions for the return of hostages, but it is not clear whether it allows Israel to maintain control of the Philadelphi corridor, a buffer zone separating Gaza from Egypt.”

For Context: The Philadelphi corridor is a strategic strip of land along the Gaza-Egypt border that neither Hamas nor Egypt want Israeli forces to remain in.

‘New Conditions’: Per Newsweek (Center bias), Hamas has also agreed to the ceasefire proposal but remains opposed to what it claims are “new conditions” added by Israel. Senior Hamas official and spokesperson Basem Naim told the publication that the conditions would allow Israel to maintain a presence in Philadelphi and the Rafah border crossing.

How The Media Covered It: Associated Press (Lean Left bias) prominently noted that Blinken “called on Hamas” to accept the proposal “without saying whether concerns cited by the militant group had been addressed.” Newsweek also published coverage of Israel accepting the proposal in addition to its Hamas report. The Telegraph quoted an Israeli official who said the ceasefire talks are at a “critical” moment, with Israel thinking “now is the time” to make a deal.